Evaluating the Prebiotic Potential of Lepidium Sativum Seed Mucilage as a Nutraceutical Ingredient

Abstract

The current study investigates the prebiotic potential of Lepidium sativum L. seeds mucilage on different lactobacilli strains. The quantification of the total reducing sugar in the mucilage was attained by Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometric method. The mucilage exhibited efficient resistance against α-amylase and artificial gastric juice hydrolysis compared to standard prebiotic inulin. The mucilage also exhibited efficient activity necessary for the augmentation of almost all strains of lactobacilli. In vitro studies also exhibited that lactobacilli amount was at par to standard prebiotics (p<0.05) in the medium supplemented with the mucilage. The study led to conclude that the seed mucilage of Lepidium sativum exhibits efficient prebiotic activity and thereby can be used as a potential functional nutraceutical supplement.