Fermented Soymilk with Probiotic Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium Strains Ameliorates Dextran-Sulfate-Sodium-Induced Colitis in Rats

<b>Background</b>: Current treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are relatively futile and the extended use of drugs may reduce effectiveness. Several probiotic strains have shown promise in relieving/treating IBD symptoms. <b>Objectives</b>: The current study investigated the impact of fermented soymilk with a mixture of probiotic starter cultures containing <i>Lactobacillus rhamnosus</i>, <i>L. casei</i>, <i>L. plantarum</i>, <i>L. acidophilus</i>, <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i>, and <i>B. animalis</i> subsp. <i>lactis</i> in rats with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis compared to control. <b>Methods</b>: Rats were randomly assigned to five groups (5 rats/group; n = 25): G1: negative normal control; G2: positive control (DSS); G3: DSS with sulfasalazine (DSS-Z); G4: DSS with soymilk (DSS-SM), and G5: DSS with fermented soymilk (DSS-FSM). Parameters monitored included the following: the disease activity index (DAI), macroscopic and histological assessments of colitis, and a fecal microbial analysis performed to assess the severity of inflammation and ulceration. <b>Results</b>: The DSS-FSM rats group exhibited lower DAI scores (<i>p</i> < 0.05) than other treated groups during the induction period. A macroscopical examination revealed no ulceration or swelling in the intestinal mucosa of rats in the DSS-FSM-treated group, resembling the findings in the negative control group. In the positive control (DSS group), the colon tissue showed increased inflammation (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas those in the DSS-SM- and DSS-FSM-treated rats groups did not show significant macroscopic scores of colitis. The positive DSS control and DSS-Z groups had crypt erosion and ulceration areas, severe crypt damage, and epithelial surface erosion, which were absent in the negative control and DSS-FSM groups. The counts of <i>Lactobacillus</i> spp. and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> spp. remained stable in both G1 and G5 over 4 weeks. The consumption of fermented soymilk with a mixture of probiotics could minimize the severity of DSS-induced colitis in rats. <b>Conclusion</b>, it was found that fermented soymilk containing <i>Lactobacilli</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> might be an effective vehicle for reducing the severity of DSS-induced colitis in rats.