EFFECT OF LENTINUS-EDODES ON THE GROWTH OF INTESTINAL LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA

As the growth factor of lactic acid bacteria, LD (trehalose) was isola ted from Lentinus edodes by using silica gel column chromatography. LD induced the growth of Bifidobacteria breve and Lactobacillus brevis, which were isolated from human feces. LD selectively induced the growt h of lactic acid bacteria among total microflora. When total intestina l microflora were cultured in the medium containing LD, it stimulated the growth of lactic acid bacteria and inhibited harmful enzymes, beta -glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, and tryptophanase, of intestinal bac teria. LM, which was a monosaccharide from L. edodes, induced the grow th of lactic acid bacteria but it seems to be invaluable in vivo. LH i solated from L. edodes by Sephadex G-100 column chromatography was not effective for the growth of lactic acid bacteria.