Anti-hypercholesterolemia properties of exopolysaccharide from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MI01: Computational and in vivo approaches

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are extensively studied for their health benefits, particularly in lowering cholesterol levels. This research utilized Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MI01, isolated from ripe mangoes, to produce EPS. The study aimed to investigate EPS as an anti-hypercholesterolemic agent through in silico and in vivo methods. Molecular docking revealed strong interactions between EPS monomers (glucose, galactose, rhamnose, and guluronic acid) and the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme, confirming EPS as a competitive inhibitor. In vivo tests on male Sprague Dawley mice involved administering varying doses of crude EPS. The experiment, using a completely randomized design with four replications, divided the mice into six groups: standard control, negative control, positive control (atorvastatin 20 mg/kg BW), and three EPS groups (20, 40, and 60 mg/kg BW per day). Measurements included total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL levels in blood serum. Administering 60 mg/kg BW/day of crude EPS to hypercholesterolemic mice reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL by 21.66 %, 16.86 %, and 42.46 %, respectively, and increased HDL by 10.89 %.