A probiotic lactobacillus was discovered from lactobacilli of theLactobacillus genusindependently isolated from human adult feces. The probiotic lactobacillus wasselected fromother bacterial strains for: (1) being highly resistant to gastric acid/bileacid； (2) having a highpromoting activity on IL-12 production from mouse derived spleen cells and ahigh Th1/Th2balance-improving effect； (3) having a high ability to inhibit the productionof antigen-specificIgE induced by intraperitoneally administering ovalbumin to BALB/c mice； (4)having a highability to inhibit the production of antigen-specific IgE induced by orallyadministering a foodantigen to C57BL/6N mice； (5) having a high Natural Killer cell-activatingability； (6) having ahigh IL-12 production-promoting activity on spleen cells and mesenteric lymphnode cellsderived from mice immunized with ovalbumin and a high Th1/Th2 balance-improving effect；and (7) having a high ability to suppress eosinophilia induced by a cedarpollen-extracted antigen.This discovery led to the completion of the present invention.
