[Screening of the strains of lactic acid bacteria possessing hypocholesterinemic activity and their practical use]

The strains of lactic acid bacteria (n = 139) belonging to Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus and Leuconostoc genera have been studied. It has been shown that neither of the strains used cholesterol as a source of carbon. Some strains (13.6%) hydrolyzed actively the conjugates of bile acids. The hydrolyzed activity displayed to a higher extent in anaerobic conditions on the medium with glucose. Hydrolase of conjugates of bile salts, which precipitated under acid value of pH and were excreted from the organism, was contained in 29% of 69 studied strains of lactic acid bacteria. Cholesterol is also removed from the organism under the same pH values that is confirmed by clinical tests of the product "Gerolakt Kislomolochny" (lactic-acid Gerolact).