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EVALUATION OF INTESTINAL CINNAMOYL ESTERASE ACTIVITY IN MICE ORALLY ADMINISTERED WITH L. fermentum CRL 1446 M.C. Abeijón Mukdsi2,3, M.P. Gauffin Cano1,3, S.N. González1,2, R.B. Medina1,2,3. 1CERELA-CONICET, 2Fac. Bioqca., Qca. y Fcia.-UNT, 3UNSTA. Chacabuco 145. 4000-Tucumán, Argentina. E-mail: rmedina@cerela.org.ar Cinnamoyl esterases (CE) are enzymes that hydrolyze hydroxycinnamate esters present in vegetal foods, releasing hydroxycinnamic acids (HA), such as caffeic, ferulic, sinapic, and p-coumaric acid. These free HA possess antioxidant activity in vitro, exhibit inhibitory effects on tumor promotion and protects against certain chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and some cancers. CE activity of intestinal microbiota is critical for the release of HA which then become available for absorption into the circulatory system. The aim of the present work was to evaluate: 1) Intestinal CE activity in mice administered with L. fermentum CRL 1446, 2) Effect on oxidative status of mice and intestinal microbiota. Swiss albino mice were administered with two doses: 107 and 109 cfu/ml/day in water, and were sacrified at 2, 5, 7 and 10 days. A positive control group administered with L. fermentum ATCC 14932, strain with FE (feruloyl esterase) activity, and a negative control group were also included. FE activity was determined on gut content and mucose extract of small and large intestine (SIC, LIC, SIM, LIM, respectively) by incubation in PBS pH 7 + methylferulate 1mM as substrate. Released ferulic acid was detected by HPLC. Animal oxidative status was evaluated by determination of plasma lipoperoxide concentration using TBA test. Effect of feeding with L. fermentum CRL 1446 on weight and mice intestinal structure was also evaluated. Results showed increase of FE activity in LIC, SIM and LIM at 5, 7 and 10 days of administration of L. fermentum CRL 1446, in comparison with negative control group. FE activity in SIM was higher than in LIM. When mice were administered with 107 cfu/ml/day for 7 days, FE activity in LIC and SIM was 3.6 and 2.65 times higher than in negative control group, respectively. TBA test showed a 30-40 % lipoperoxide level decrease after a 5 day administration period with 107 cfu/ml/day. No significant differences were observed in weight and intestinal structure of treated mice. In general, the administration of L. fermentum CRL 1446 did not produce statistically significant differences of intestinal microbiota. Afer 10 days of administration it was observed a slight increase of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria population (~1 log cycle) for both doses tested. Results showed that oral administration of L. fermentum CRL 1446 increases intestinal FE activity, favoring the bioavailability of antioxidant free ferulic acid. Moreover decrease of plasma lipoperoxide levels would indicate an improvement of the oxidative status of treated animals.