Oral administration of pasteurized probiotic fermented milk alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced inflammatory bowel disease in rats

The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is closely related to inflammatory damage and gut dysbiosis. Administering fermented milk may serve as a dietary intervention strategy of delivering bioactive substrates to consumers. This work aimed to investigate the mitigating effects of pasteurized probiotic fermented milk on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced IBD in rats. Our results showed that intragastric gavage of pasteurized probiotic fermented milk could significantly lower DAI scores, alleviate colon damage, and decrease serum tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 levels. Additionally, pasteurized probiotic fermented milk administration improved the intestinal microbial Richness index, accompanied by significant increases in beneficial bacteria and reduction in species related to host inflammation. The gut functional metagenome also shifted with pasteurized probiotic fermented milk intervention, showing significant enrichment in biosynthesis pathways of amino acids, nucleotides, and vitamins. In conclusion, ingesting pasteurized probiotic fermented milk alleviated IBD by reducing inflammatory response and restoring the gut microbiota.