Exploring the anti-inflammatory effects of microencapsulated probiotic bacteria: in vivo and in vitro evaluation in healthy mouse models

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Encapsulation technology has been extensively employed in recent years to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of probiotics. Nevertheless, existing studies have primarily concentrated on product efficacy, with inadequate scrutiny concerning potential effects on living organisms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of various encapsulated probiotic strains on inflammatory responses in healthy mice, alongside their in vitro viability. Nissle (EcN) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) were microencapsulated for the study. RESULTS: The differences in serum levels of Total Oxidant Status, Total Antioxidant Status, and C-reactive protein among the groups were statistically significant (LGG, P = 0.039, P = 0.024, and P < 0.001; EcN, P = 0.019, P = 0.012, and P = 0.037, respectively). The highest levels were found in the control group, while the lowest levels were observed in the microencapsulated group. There were no significant differences in tissue tumor necrosis factor or interleukin-6 levels for either LGG or EcN. CONCLUSION: Probiotics reduced inflammation-related parameters in serum of healthy mice. Microencapsulation preserved viability in vitro, but in vivo no significant differences were observed in anti-inflammatory parameters or body weight between microencapsulated and free probiotics. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.