• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2002

With the incidence of antibiotic resistant bacteria there is increasing interest in natural products such as herb extract and probiotics to control antibiotic resistant bacteria. This study was focused on the determination of antimicrobial activity of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten against Salmonella enetrica serovar Enteritidis (S. enterifidis), S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) DT 104 and Escherichia coli 0157:H7. Though bactericidal effect of 0. ficus-indica var. saboten was not observed, it had significant inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 on the Moulter Hinton agar containing its solution dissolved in deionized water. To investigate the antimicrobial activity in vivo, mice were challenged with 5. Typhimurium DT104 (3.7$\times$108 cfu/mouse) after pre-feeding 0. ficus-indica var. saboten solution. The fecal shedding of S. Typhimurium DT104 was more dramatically decreased and not detectable in feces and intestines 3 days after challenge in mice fed with 0. ficus-indica var. saboten. Antibody responses of the intestinal IgA were also significantly increased in mice fed with 0. ficus-indica var. saboten. These findings suggest that Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten decreased the shedding of S. Typhimurium DT104 in vitro and also in the gastrointestinal tract in mice. In addition, administration of the product might enhance the mucosal immune response against S. Typhimurium DT 104. In conclusion, Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten might be useful to control antibiotic resistant bacteria in vivo and in vitro.