Improving antagonistic effect of Lactobacillus gasseri MS-72 with herbal medicine extracts against pathogenic bacteria

Lactobacillus gasseri MS-72, isolated from breast milk, is a lactic acid bacterium that exhibits antimicrobial activity against various pathogens. To investigate the potential enhancement of the antimicrobial ability of L. gasseri MS-72, five herbal medicine extracts, including common jujube, goji berry, Chinese liquorice root, American ginseng, and milkvetch root in a ratio of 5:4:1:3:1, were added to the culture medium. Culturing L. gasseri MS-72 with herbal medicine extracts increased growth. Moreover, L. gasseri MS-72 cultured with herbal medicine extracts improved the viability of rat intestinal epithelial cells. Inhibition zone assay showed that herbal medicine extracts significantly enhanced the antimicrobial activity of L. gasseri MS-72 against Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus cereus , Salmonella enterica , and Clostridium perfringens . In the co-cultural system, L. gasseri MS-72 cultured with 5 % herbal medicine extracts significantly reduced the growth of pathogenic bacteria. However, the antibacterial activity of L. gasseri MS-72 cultured with the herbal medicine extracts was decreased when treated with high temperature or under pH stress, indicating sensitivity to extreme environmental conditions. These finding suggest that L. gasseri MS-72 cultured with the herbal medicine extracts improves the antagonistic properties. • Five herbal medicine extracts increase the growth of L. gasseri MS-72. • L. gasseri MS-72 with herbal medicine extracts enhance antimicrobial activity. • L. gasseri MS-72 with herbal medicine extracts improves antagonistic properties.