Multipotent antioxidant and antitoxicant potentiality of an indigenous probiotic Bifidobacterium sp. MKK4

Probiotic bacteria are now becoming an effective natural medicine for alleviating many non-communicable lifestyle-related diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant and antitoxicant properties of a foodborne probiotic Bifidobacterium sp. MKK4 and its rice fermented beverage. The extracts of culture broth, whole cells, fermented beverage, and it's heat-inactivated counterparts subjected to in vitro antioxidant/antiradical assays by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP analysis. Except for heat-inactivated states, all samples exhibited strong antioxidant activity. In the experimental rat model, both Bifidobacterium sp. MKK4 and its rice fermented beverage significantly prevented arsenic toxicity by inducing a higher level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione and preventing lipid peroxidation (LPO) and DNA fragmentation, and transmembrane mitochondrial potential. Besides, the organism supported systematic protection by improving the level of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, urea, creatinine, and uric acid. The inherent antioxidant nature of the isolate can be exploited as an ingredient in functional food and an effective antidote against arsenic toxicity.