Dose Response Colonisation of Faeces after Oral Administration ofLactobacillus caseiStrain GG

Abstract

Normal healthy volunteers were given freeze-dried Lactobacillus casei strain GG powder per os once a day for 7 d to study the faecal colonisation properties of the strain. The dose levels administered were 1.5×10⁶, 1.5×10⁷, 1.5×10⁸, 1.5×10⁹, 1.5×10¹⁰and 1.1×10¹¹ c.f.u./day. A comparison of the colonisation properties between production lots was made using three different lots. Faecal specimens were collected both prior to 'Lactobacillus GG' administration and daily during the respective treatments. Faecal specimens were analysed for total lactobacilli and 'Lactobacillus GG'. No 'Lactobacillus GG' was detected in the faecal samples of the volunteers prior to the study. With the doses 10¹⁰ and 10¹¹ all volunteers were colonised. 'Lactobacillus GG' did not appear to influence the total number of lactobacilli in faeces. No significant differences were found between production lots.