Hepatoprotective Potential of Probiotic-Enriched Stirred Yoghurt Against Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in a Rat Model

Mohamed Sameh Sallam; Eman Hussein Ayad; Mohamed Ahmed Gomaa; Saeid Mohsen Darwish; Marwa Gamal Allam

doi:10.51745/najfnr.10.22.1-14

Hepatoprotective Potential of Probiotic-Enriched Stirred Yoghurt Against Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in a Rat Model

PDF (Full Text)

Nutrition, Metabolism, and Prevention of NCDs Functional and Novel Foods

DOI https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.10.22.1-14

Issue Vol. 10 No. 22 (202): July - December, 2026

Submitted 2026-04-09

Accepted 2026-07-15

Published 2026-08-14

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents the most prevalent chronic liver disorder worldwide, driven principally by excessive caloric intake, high-fat dietary patterns, and sedentary lifestyles. The condition is pathophysiologically characterized by hepatic lipid accumulation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and low-grade systemic inflammation, which may progress to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and ultimately cirrhosis in the absence of timely intervention. Probiotic microorganisms have recently attracted considerable scientific attention as safe biotherapeutic agents capable of modulating gut microbiota, improving lipid metabolism, and attenuating hepatic inflammation through the gut–liver axis.

Aims: This study aimed to develop a cost-effective, food-based strategy for the prevention and early management of MASLD through the incorporation of a defined probiotic mixture into stirred yogurt, and to evaluate its hepatoprotective efficacy in an experimental rat model.

Material and Methods: Eleven dairy-origin probiotic strains were initially screened for acid and bile tolerance, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial potential, and technological suitability for yogurt production. Four strains — Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. plantarum, L. acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium lactis — were selected on the basis of their superior performance profiles for the production of probiotic stirred yogurts, administered either as single-strain or multi-strain formulations. These yogurts were subsequently administered to rats maintained on a high-fat diet (HFD) to assess their preventive effects against MASLD development. Biochemical analyses encompassed the evaluation of serum lipid and metabolic profiles, including total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting serum glucose (FSG), insulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and albumin concentrations. Histopathological examination of hepatic tissues and assessment of intestinal microbiota were additionally performed to confirm hepatic protection and gut microbial modulation.

Results: The yogurt containing the multi-strain probiotic blend (T5) exhibited superior organoleptic properties and the most pronounced hepatoprotective effects among all tested formulations Administration of T5 markedly reduced serum total cholesterol (85.1 mg/dL), triglycerides (122.3 mg/dL), LDL (25.8 mg/dL), FSG (28.6 mg/dL), insulin (0.84 µIU/mL), and ALT (36.9 U/L), with values approaching those recorded in the healthy control group. Histopathological findings and microbiota analyses corroborated these biochemical improvements, confirming attenuation of hepatic steatosis and restoration of gut microbial balance

Conclusions: The multi-strain probiotic yoghurt formulation (T5) demonstrated robust hepatoprotective potential in HFD-fed rats, effectively ameliorating the lipid profile, glucose metabolism, liver enzyme activity, and body weight. Collectively, these findings highlight the considerable promise of multi-strain probiotic yogurt as a preventive and early-stage therapeutic functional food intervention for MASLD, offering an accessible, palatable and scientifically grounded functional food approach to liver health management in the context of metabolic disease.

Keywords

Probiotics Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) Lipid Profile Liver Histology Glucose Metabolism High-Fat Diet (HFD) Gut Microbiota

Mohamed Sameh Sallam

Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
Eman Hussein Ayad

Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
Mohamed Ahmed Gomaa

Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
Saeid Mohsen Darwish

Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
Marwa Gamal Allam

Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

PDF (Full Text)

How to Cite

Sallam, M. S., Ayad, E. H., Gomaa, M. A., Darwish, S. M., & Allam, M. G. (2026). Hepatoprotective Potential of Probiotic-Enriched Stirred Yoghurt Against Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in a Rat Model. The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 10(22), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.10.22.1-14

More Citation Formats

Download Citation

Adesiji, Y., Owolabi, S., Ayelagbe, O. G., & Olowe, A. (2019). Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on biochemical indices and liver histology in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2019/40762.13001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2019/40762.13001

Alkhalf, A., Alhaj, M., & Al-Homidan, I. (2010). Influence of probiotic supplementation on blood parameters and growth performance in broiler chickens. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 17(3), 219–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2010.04.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2010.04.005

Alnami, A., Bima, A., Alamoudi, A., Eldakhakhny, B., Sakr, H., & Elsamanoudy, A. (2022). Modulation of Dyslipidemia markers APO B/APO A and triglycerides/HDL-cholesterol ratios by low-carbohydrate high-fat diet in a rat model of metabolic syndrome. Nutrients, 14(9), 1903. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091903 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091903

Andreasen, A. S., Larsen, N., Pedersen-Skovsgaard, T., Berg, R. M. G., Møller, K., Svendsen, K. D., Jakobsen, M., & Pedersen, B. K. (2010). Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM on insulin sensitivity and the systemic inflammatory response in human subjects. The British Journal of Nutrition, 104(12), 1831–1838. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114510002874 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114510002874

Ashaolu, T. J., & Fernández-Tomé, S. (2021). Gut mucosal and adipose tissues as health targets of the immunomodulatory mechanisms of probiotics. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 112, 764–779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.04.040 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.04.040

Aswathy, R. G., Ismail, B., John, R. P., & Nampoothiri, K. M. (2008). Evaluation of the probiotic characteristics of newly isolated lactic acid bacteria. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 151(2–3), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8183-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8183-6

Ayyat, M. S., Al-Sagheer, A. A., Abd El-Latif, K. M., & Khalil, B. A. (2018). Organic selenium, probiotics, and prebiotics effects on growth, blood biochemistry, and carcass traits of growing rabbits during summer and winter seasons. Biological Trace Element Research, 186(1), 162–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-018-1293-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-018-1293-2

Baccigalupi, L., Di Donato, A., Parlato, M., Luongo, D., Carbone, V., Rossi, M., Ricca, E., & De Felice, M. (2005). Small surface-associated factors mediate adhesion of a food-isolated strain of Lactobacillus fermentum to Caco-2 cells. Research in Microbiology, 156(7), 830–836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resmic.2005.05.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resmic.2005.05.001

Bancroft, J. D., & Gamble, M. (2007). Theory and practice of histological techniques (6th ed.). Churchill Livingstone.

Begley, M., Hill, C., & Gahan, C. G. M. (2006). Bile salt hydrolase activity in probiotics. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72(3), 1729–1738. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.72.3.1729-1738.2006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.72.3.1729-1738.2006

Bloemendaal, M., Szopinska-Tokov, J., Belzer, C., Boverhoff, D., Papalini, S., Michels, F., van Hemert, S., Arias Vasquez, A., & Aarts, E. (2021). Probiotics-induced changes in gut microbial composition and its effects on cognitive performance after stress: exploratory analyses. Translational Psychiatry, 11(1), 300. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01404-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01404-9

Briseño-Bass, P., Chávez-Pérez, R., & López-Zendejas, M. (2019). Prevalence of hepatic steatosis and its relation to liver function tests and lipid profile in patients at medical check-up. Revista de Gastroenterología de México (English Edition), 84(3), 290–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rgmxen.2018.05.024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rgmxen.2018.05.024

Briskey, D., Heritage, M., Jaskowski, L.-A., Peake, J., Gobe, G., Subramaniam, V. N., Crawford, D., Campbell, C., & Vitetta, L. (2016). Probiotics modify tight-junction proteins in an animal model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology, 9(4), 463–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/1756283X16645055 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1756283X16645055

Buzzetti, E., Pinzani, M., & Tsochatzis, E. A. (2016). The multiple-hit pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 65(8), 1038–1048. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2015.12.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2015.12.012

Chakaroun, R. M., Massier, L., & Kovacs, P. (2020). Gut microbiome, intestinal permeability, and tissue bacteria in metabolic disease: Perpetrators or bystanders? Nutrients, 12(4), E1082. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12041082 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12041082

Cho, J.-H., Namgung, J.-S., Lee, J., Moon, D.-H., & Lee, H.-K. (2014). Analysis of biochemical markers related to Fatty liver patients. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26(12), 1865–1868. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.26.1865 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.26.1865

Da Silva, T. F., Casarotti, S. N., de Oliveira, G. L. V., & Penna, A. L. B. (2021). The impact of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on the biochemical, clinical, and immunological markers, as well as on the gut microbiota of obese hosts. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 61(2), 337–355. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1733483 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1733483

Darwish, A. M. G., Soliman, T. N., Elhendy, H. A., & El-Kholy, W. M. (2021). Nano-encapsulated iron and folic acid-fortified functional yogurt enhance anemia in Albino rats. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, 654624. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.654624 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.654624

DeFilippis, A. P., Blaha, M. J., Martin, S. S., Reed, R. M., Jones, S. R., Nasir, K., Blumenthal, R. S., & Budoff, M. J. (2013). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and serum lipoproteins: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, 227(2), 429–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.01.022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.01.022

Duan, F. F., Liu, J. H., & March, J. C. (2015). Engineered commensal bacteria reprogram intestinal cells into glucose-responsive insulin-secreting cells for the treatment of diabetes. Diabetes, 64(5), 1794–1803. https://doi.org/10.2337/db14-0635 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2337/db14-0635

Helal, E. G., El-Wahab, A., Samia, M., Zedan, G. A., & Sharaf, A. M. M. (2012). Effect of Zingiber officinale on fatty liver induced by oxytetracycline in albino rats. The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 46, 26–42. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejhm.2012.16354 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/ejhm.2012.16354

Hussain, A., Cho, J. S., Kim, J.-S., & Lee, Y. I. (2021). Protective effects of polyphenol enriched complex plants extract on metabolic dysfunctions associated with obesity and related nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases in high fat diet-induced C57BL/6 mice. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(2), E302. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26020302 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26020302

Illikoud, N., Mantel, M., Rolli-Derkinderen, M., Gagnaire, V., & Jan, G. (2022). Dairy starters and fermented dairy products modulate gut mucosal immunity. Immunology Letters, 251–252, 91–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imlet.2022.11.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imlet.2022.11.002

Jiang, W., Wu, N., Wang, X., Chi, Y., Zhang, Y., Qiu, X., Hu, Y., Li, J., & Liu, Y. (2015). Dysbiosis gut microbiota associated with inflammation and impaired mucosal immune function in intestine of humans with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Scientific Reports, 5(1), 8096. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep08096 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep08096

Kawaguchi, K., Sakai, Y., Terashima, T., Shimode, T., Seki, A., Orita, N., Takeshita, Y., Shimakami, T., Takatori, H., Arai, K., Kitamura, K., Yamashita, T., Yamashita, T., Takamura, M., Mizukoshi, E., Takamura, T., Honda, M., Wada, T., & Kaneko, S. (2021). Decline in serum albumin concentration is a predictor of serious events in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Medicine, 100(31), e26835. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000026835 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000026835

Khan, M. T. G., Zinnah, M. A., Siddique, M. P., Rashid, M. H. A., Islam, M. A., & Choudhury, K. A. (1970). Physical and microbial qualities of raw milk collected from Bangladesh Agricultural University dairy farm and the surrounding villages. Bangladesh Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 6(2), 217–221. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v6i2.2339 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v6i2.2339

Khomich, O., Ivanov, A. V., & Bartosch, B. (2019). Metabolic hallmarks of hepatic stellate cells in liver fibrosis. Cells (Basel, Switzerland), 9(1), E24. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9010024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9010024

Klaver, F. A., Kingma, F., & Weerkamp, A. H. (1993). Growth and survival of bifidobacteria in milk.

Laugerette, F., Vors, C., Alligier, M., Pineau, G., Drai, J., Knibbe, C., Morio, B., Lambert-Porcheron, S., Laville, M., Vidal, H., & Michalski, M.-C. (2020). Postprandial endotoxin transporters LBP and sCD14 differ in obese vs. Overweight and normal weight men during fat-rich meal digestion. Nutrients, 12(6), E1820. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061820 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061820

Lee, M.-F., Chiang, C.-H., Lin, S.-J., Song, P.-P., Liu, H.-C., Wu, T.-J., & Lin, W.-W. (2020). Recombinant Lactococcus lactis expressing ling Zhi 8 protein ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver and early atherogenesis in cholesterol-fed rabbits. BioMed Research International, 2020, 3495682. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3495682 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3495682

Liu, Y., Wang, J., & Wu, C. (2021). Modulation of gut Microbiota and immune system by probiotics, pre-biotics, and post-biotics. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, 634897. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.634897 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.634897

Mackowiak, P. A. (2013). Recycling metchnikoff: probiotics, the intestinal microbiome and the quest for long life. Frontiers in Public Health, 1, 52. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2013.00052 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2013.00052

Mazloom, K., Siddiqi, I., & Covasa, M. (2019). Probiotics: How effective are they in the fight against obesity? Nutrients, 11(2), E258. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11020258 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11020258

Montemayor, S., García, S., Monserrat-Mesquida, M., Tur, J. A., & Bouzas, C. (2023). Dietary patterns, foods, and nutrients to ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A scoping review. Nutrients, 15(18), 3987. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15183987 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15183987

Ojeda, P., Bobe, A., Dolan, K., Leone, V., & Martinez, K. (2016). Nutritional modulation of gut microbiota-The impact on metabolic disease pathophysiology. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 28, 191–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.08.013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.08.013

Rada, V. (1997). Effect of Kluyveromyces marxianus on the growth and survival of bifidobacteria in milk. Folia Microbiologica, 42(2), 145–148. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02898725 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02898725

Rishi, P., Arora, S., Kaur, U. J., Chopra, K., & Kaur, I. P. (2017). Better management of alcohol liver disease using a ‘microstructured synbox’system comprising L. plantarum and EGCG. PloS One, 12. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168459 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168459

Rusman, R. D., Akil, F., Parewangi, M. L., Daud, N. A., Bachtiar, R., Kusuma, S. H., & Rifai, A. (2025). Gut microbiota and metabolic-associated steatosis liver disease: Unveiling mechanisms and opportunities for therapeutic intervention. World Journal of Experimental Medicine, 15(4), 107316. https://doi.org/10.5493/wjem.v15.i4.107316 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5493/wjem.v15.i4.107316

Song, M., Park, S., Lee, H., Min, B., Jung, S., Park, S., Kim, E., & Oh, S. (2015). Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus NS1 on plasma cholesterol levels in diet-induced obese mice. Journal of Dairy Science, 98(3), 1492–1501. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-8586 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-8586

Verma, D. K., Patel, A. R., Billoria, S., Kaushik, G., & Kaur, M. (2022). Microbial Biotechnology in Food Processing and Health: Advances, Challenges, and. Potential CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003277415 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003277415

Wang, K.-Y., Li, S.-N., Liu, C.-S., Perng, D.-S., Su, Y.-C., Wu, D.-C., Jan, C.-M., Lai, C.-H., & Wang, T.-N. (2004). Effects of ingesting Lactobacillus-and Bifidobacterium-containing yogurt in subjects with colonized Helicobacter pylori. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80, 737–741. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/80.3.737

Yoo, S.-R., Kim, Y.-J., Park, D.-Y., Jung, U.-J., Jeon, S.-M., Ahn, Y.-T., Huh, C.-S., McGregor, R., & Choi, M. S. (2013). Probiotics L. plantarum and L. curvatus in combination alter hepatic lipid metabolism and suppress diet-induced obesity: Novel probiotic for suppression of obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 21(12), 2571–2578. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20428 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20428

Younossi, Z., Anstee, Q. M., Marietti, M., Hardy, T., Henry, L., Eslam, M., George, J., & Bugianesi, E. (2018). Global burden of NAFLD and NASH: trends, predictions, risk factors and prevention. Nature Reviews. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 15(1), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2017.109 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2017.109

Zhou, J., Zhu, B., Bing, Z., Wang, T., & Zhao, Y. (2026). The gut-liver axis in MASLD: From host-microbiome crosstalk to precision therapeutics. Microorganisms, 14(2), 471. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020471 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020471

More

Hepatoprotective Potential of Probiotic-Enriched Stirred Yoghurt Against Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in a Rat Model

Keywords

How to Cite

Similar Articles

Downloads 264

Views 752

Country (Top 10)

Make a Submission

Journal Issue

Keywords

Browse by Category

Information

Highly Accessed

Published by

Useful Links

Connect

Contact Us