The Indian honey bee Apis cerana indica, which harbors an abundant and diverse range of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in their gut with beneficial effects, was used as the source for the isolation of LAB. In the present study, two LAB isolates from honey bee gut were selected primarily based on their phenotypic and selective biochemical characterization, followed by PCR and identified using 16S rRNA sequencing as Lactobacillus plantarum and were registered in National Centre for Biotechnology Information under accession number KX519413 and KX519414. The probiotic potency of test strains indicated their survivability at acidic pH, bile salts and viability in simulated gastric juice enabling them to withstand gastrointestinal tract conditions. Evaluation of cell surface properties suggested that they possess an important defense mechanism against the pathogen since they are hydrophobic, auto-aggregative and have co-aggregative ability. Further, efficient exopolysaccharide production by them indicates not only their ability to enrich biofilm formation and auto-aggregation, but also enhances bacterial adhesion and colonization on the host intestinal tract. The present study concluded that L. plantarum from the gut of Apis cerana indica possesses probiotic potency, and potential candidates for use as food besides application in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.

Gut is considered as second brain since it coordinates with all the organs. A physiological change or dysbiosis in the gut affects the body metabolism. A probiotic treatment along with a restricted diet and an appropriate prebiotic can modulate the host functioning. The mechanisms through which the probiotics improves type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes is by modulating insulin resistance, barrier function of gut epithelium, immunomodulation, reducing appetite and upregulating genes for fatty acid breakdown. Fermentation of prebiotics in the gut produces short chain fatty acids which in turn regulates the metabolic pathways by interacting with various receptors and modulating the downstream pathways. The studies reported till date reveals that a synbiotic therapy can be an alternative as well as preventive medicine for lifestyle diseases especially diabetes and obesity.

Aim and Objective: To evaluate the probiotic potenties along with safety of probiotics within infant faecal origin. Methods and Results: The present study isolates lactic acid bacteria from infant feces were characterized and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. On evaluation of in vitro probiotic capability, the test isolates exhibited in vitro probiotic potency, antagonistic property and better cell surface properties. The Bile salt hydrolase activity, cholesterol assimilation, antioxidant activity and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory action of the test isolates proves their health conferring potency. Standard protocols were used for the estimation of lymphocyte proliferation rate, phagocytosis rate, cytokine response and faecal enzyme levels. Animal experiment using different doses of L. plantarum (MBTU-S1B) substantiated its immunotolerance against inhibitory effects of supraoptimal concentration of both T and B cell mitogens with significant reduction on β-Glucosidase and Nitroreductase activity with p< 0.05, while contrasting effect was noticed for β-Glucuronidase. Findings of the in vivo study proved higher dose of probiotic would not provide any additional benefit on host body. Conclusions: The test isolates possesed in vitro probiotic potency and the in vivo study with MBTU- S1B proved their applicability in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. Significance and Impact of Study: To conflict disease outbreaks by improving general immunity via probiotics.