Salicylic acid, widely distributed in the whole plant kingdom, is a benzoic acid derivative acting as a signal substance in plants, but could be related to differences in cancer incidence, as many herbs and spices contain high amounts. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is one of the best-known lactic acid bacteria that has been studied for over 30 years. Probiotic and/or commensal bacteria of the human microbiota are known to respond to diet constituents. Therefore, the present study aims at investigating the possible effects of salicylic acid on the probiotic properties of LGG, and in vitro cytotoxic effects of combination of salicylic acid and LGG on human colon and prostate cancer cells. Salicylic acid significantly (p < 0.05) increased co-aggregation of LGG with E. coli (~ twofold) and anti-oxidant properties. Furthermore, it also induced the cytotoxic effects of LGG against human colon cancer cells. These results suggest that interaction of LGG with salicylic acid can exert more probiotic properties.
Keywords: Aggregation; Cancer; Lactobacillus; Probiotics; Salicylic acid.