Efficiency of Double Layered Microencapsulated Probiotic to Modulate ProInflammatory Molecular Markers for the Management of Alcoholic Liver Disease

Alcohol-related disorders are one of the challenging current health problems with medical, social, and economic consequences. Endotoxemia, oxidative stress, and release of a variety of inflammatory molecules are established mediators in alcoholic liver injury (ALD). Probiotics like L. plantarum though were reported to attenuate ALD, their in vivo health benefits are limited by their survival and sustenance in the adverse gut conditions. Therefore, to enhance their in vivo performance, chitosan coated alginate beads entrapping L. plantarum were prepared, characterized, and evaluated for their efficacy against ALD in rats. Following chronic alcohol exposure, rats developed endotoxemia, showed enhanced levels of liver enzyme markers, NF-κB levels, and increased cytokines such as TNF-α and IL12/p40 subunit, and reflected significant histological changes in the intestine and liver. However, cosupplementation with double layered microencapsulated probiotic significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the levels of endotoxemia, serum transaminases, NF-κB, and cytokines complemented with restoration of normal histoarchitecture of the intestine and liver. It is being documented here for the first time that the probiotics have the potential to inhibit IL-12/p40 subunit which is a recently explored potential marker for developing novel therapeutic agents. This study reveals that microencapsulation of probiotics may offer a biopharmacological basis for effective management of ALD.