Scientists examine the antioxidant activity of brewer’s yeast

There has been a growing interest in the beneficial use of probiotics. In a study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers found that brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) contains probiotic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.

• In the study, researchers at Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) looked at the potential probiotic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of a strain of brewer’s yeast isolated from fruit.
• Brewer’s yeast was found to be tolerant to different temperatures and pH, high concentration of bile salt and sodium chloride (NaCl), gastric juice, intestinal environment, alpha-amylase, trypsin, and lysozyme.
• It has the ability to produce organic acid and exhibited resistance against drugs, such as tetracycline, ampicillin, gentamycin, penicillin, polymyxin B and nalidixic acid.
• It can absorb cholesterol and can produce killer toxin, vitamin B12, glutathione, siderophore, and strong biofilm.
• It showed moderate auto-aggregation ability and cell surface hydrophobicity, which are essential properties of probiotics.
• Brewer’s yeast can also produce enzymes, such as amylase, protease, lipase, cellulose, that improve nutrient utilization in the gut.
• The isolate exhibited better antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria than gram-positive.
• It also demonstrated powerful antioxidant activity, reducing power, nitric oxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, significant brine shrimp cytotoxicity and acute toxicity, and metal ion chelating activity.
• Toxicity tests revealed that it is safe to be used for human patients.
• In treated mice, the isolate improved lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production.

The researchers conclude that brewer’s yeast possesses promising probiotic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Learn about antioxidants, read Antioxidants.news.

Journal Reference:

Fakruddin, M. Hossain N, Ahmed MM. ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE IFST062013, A POTENTIAL PROBIOTIC. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 17 January 2017; 17(64). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1591-9