Effect of Lactic Fermented Cactus Pear (Opuntia elatior Mill.) Fruit Beverage with Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus on Wistar Rats with Phenylhydrazine Induced Hemolytic Anemia

Cactus pear fruit is known since ages for its medicinal properties. The fruit contains biofunctional compounds such as colored pigments (betacyanin and betaxanthin), polyphenol, flavonoid, ascorbic acid and minerals. There is a huge potential for the development of novel functional superfoods by incorporating health beneficial microorganisms into such medicainal fruits. So, to explore one of the medicinal properties i.e., antianemic potential of cactus pear fruit, the study was planned to assess the effect of lactic fermented cactus pear fruit beverage (LCB) containing Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus on phenylhydrazine (PHZ) induced anemic rats. The anemic model was established with 40 mg/kg PHZ injection for consecutive 2 days. The PHZ injection reduced the heamaglobin from 15 to about 10 g/dL in the experimental animals. LCB was then administered in three doses i.e. 5 mL (T1), 10 mL (T2) and 15 mL (T3) per kg body weight for 14 days with regular diet. Body weight, hematological parameters, creatinine, urea, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), fecal microbial count and histology of kidney, liver and spleen of the experimental rats were studied. With the treatment of LCB and standard drug, red blood cells restored to the normal range in T1 (6.31 × 10⁶/µL), T2 (6.28 × 10⁶/µL), T3 (5.81 × 10⁶/µL) and standard control (6.53 × 10⁶/µL) group compared to disease control (4.88 × 10⁶/µL), at the end of study. Hematocrit percentage returned to normal range at the end of study in T1 (42.0%), T2 (42.8%), T3 (38.2%) and standard control (47.9%) as compared to disease control group (32.2%). All the three doses of LCB improved the hematological parameters, restored the level of creatinine, urea, SGPT and SGOT, in blood serum. Further, LCB administered rats’ fecal matter showed significant increase in lactobacilli counts i.e., about rise in 1 log CFU/g on 16th day than 0th day of the study. Moreover, all the groups exhibited significant histomorphological improvement over disease control group. The 10 mL/kg LCB dose was comparatively more effective than the other two. The LCB with desirable taste may thus be utilized as an effective supportive therapeutic drink for the treatment of hemolytic anemia.