International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
Volume 25, Issue 5 , Pages 404-408, May 2005

Antimicrobial and healing activity of kefir and kefiran extract

Received 27 May 2004; accepted 17 September 2004.

Abstract 

Kefir and its insoluble polysaccharide, kefiran, were both tested for antimicrobial and cicatrizing activities against several bacterial species and Candida albicans using an agar diffusion method. Comparator antimicrobials were also tested. Cicatrizing experiments were carried out on Wistar rats with induced skin lesions and Staphylococcus aureus inoculation, using a topical application of a 70% kefir gel. Both kefir and kefiran showed some activity against all organisms tested; the highest activity was against Streptococcus pyogenes. Cicatrizing experiments using 70% kefir gel had a protective effect on skin connective tissue and 7 days treatment enhanced wound healing compared with 5mg/kg of neomycin–clostebol emulsion.

Keywords: Kefir, Kefiran, Cicatrizing, Antimicrobial

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PII: S0924-8579(05)00054-3

doi:10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2004.09.020

International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
Volume 25, Issue 5 , Pages 404-408, May 2005

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