Studying the influence of guava fruitghurt on Escherichia coli coloniesin rats’ digestive tracts

Abstract

A balanced microbiota can play a role in the host's defense mechanism against pathogenic infections. E. coli is a harmless and beneficial commensal. An increase in bacteria will change their nature to become pathogens that can cause gastrointestinal disease, such as diarrhea. The management of such condition can be managed in several ways, including the consumption of probiotics. Fruitghurt is a variant of yogurt that is made using fruit juice. L. acidophilus is resistant to stomach acid; it can inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and can maintain the number of live bacteria up to 107/ml. The research design used was experimental. The research subjects were white rats (Rattus norvegicus), with the Wistar strain as many as 27 rats. They were divided into 3 groups: 1. K (-),a negative control group that was not induced by E. coli and was not given fruitghurt; 2. K (+)a positive control group that was given E.coli, but not treated by fruitghurt; and 3. P1, the treatment group that was induced with E.coli and treated by fruitghurt. The results showed that guava fruitghurt could reduce E. coli colonies. The number of E. coli colonies after being given fruitghurt was 161, while in the rats that were not given fruitghurt, there were 258 colonies. Guava fruitghurt can reduce E. coli because of the flavonoid, tannin, and polyphenol contents found in red guava, which act as protein coagulators, antibacterials, and toxins, as well as L. acidophilus bacteria that can inhibit the growth and attachment of pathogenic bacteria in the digestive tract and inhibit the spread of pathogenic bacteria.