Enhanced Delivery of Bifidobacteria and Fecal Changes after Multiple Oral Administrations of Bifidobacteria-loaded Alginate Poly-l-lysine Microparticles in Human Volunteers

Figures & data

FIG. 1 Viability of bifidobacteria in feces after the oral administration of protected bifidobacteria-loaded alginate poly-l-lysine microparticles in healthy human volunteers. * Significantly different from unprotected bifidobacteria cultures.

FIG. 2 Viability of lactic acid bacteria in feces after the oral administration of protected bifidobacteria-loaded alginate poly-l-lysine microparticles in healthy human volunteers.

FIG. 3 Viability of enterobacteriaceae in feces after the oral administration of protected bifidobacteria-loaded alginate poly-l-lysine microparticles in healthy human volunteers.

FIG. 4 Viability of staphylococci in feces after the oral administration of protected bifidobacteria-loaded alginate poly-l-lysine microparticles in healthy human volunteers.

TABLE 1 Intervals between bowel movements (days) after the oral administration of unprotected bifidobacteria cultures (group A) and protected bifidobacteria-loaded alginate poly-l-lysine microparticles (group B) to healthy human volunteers

Group	Control period	Ingestion period	Stopping period
A	1.00 ± 0.00	1.00 ± 0.71	1.25 ± 0.5
B	1.75 ± 0.96	0.74 ± 0.43^a,^b	1.35 ± 0.96

^aSignificantly different from control period.

^bSignificantly different from group A.

TABLE 2 Number of volunteers by scoring indices of fecal volume after the oral administration of unprotected bifidobacteria cultures (group A) and protected bifidobacteria-loaded alginate poly-l-lysine microparticles (group B)

Group	Period	Reduced	Normal	Increased	χ^2
Unprotected	Control	2	6	0	NS
	Ingestion	4	4	0
	Stop	2	6	0
Protected	Control	0	6	2	< 0.05
	Ingestion	2	2	4
	Stop	2	6	0

* Volume of the feces in group B was significantly increased during ingestion period by the chi-square test.

TABLE 3 Number of volunteers by scoring indices of fecal viscosity after the oral administration of unprotected bifidobacteria cultures (group A) and protected bifidobacteria-loaded alginate poly-l-lysine microparticles (group B)

Group	Period	Soft	Normal	Hard	χ^2
Unprotected	Control	2	4	2	< 0.05
	Ingestion	6	2	0
	Stop	4	4	0
Protected	Control	0	6	2	< 0.01
	Ingestion	8	0	0
	Stop	0	8	0

* Viscosity of the feces in group A and B was significantly decreased during ingestion period by the chi-square test.