Potential Uses of Probiotics in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. There is now mounting evidence that selected probiotic strains can provide health benefits to their human hosts. Numerous clinical trials show that certain strains can improve the outcome of intestinal infections by reducing the duration of diarrhea. Further investigations have shown benefits in reducing the recurrence of urogenital infections in women, while promising studies in cancer and allergies require research into the mechanisms of activity for particular strains and better-designed trials. At present, only a small percentage of physicians either know of probiotics or understand their potential applicability to patient care. Thus, probiotics are not yet part of the clinical arsenal for prevention and treatment of disease or maintenance of health. The establishment of accepted standards and guidelines, proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, represents a key step in ensuring that reliable products with suitable, informative health claims become available. Based upon the evidence to date, future advances with single- and multiple-strain therapies are on the horizon for the management of a number of debilitating and even fatal conditions

Innate mechanisms for Bifidobacterium lactis to activate transient pro‐inflammatory host responses in intestinal epithelial cells after the colonization of germ‐free rats

“…[8][9][10] Clinical and animal studies provide evidence that certain strains of Bifidobacterium animalis (lactis), B. longum, B. infantis and B. breve may be effective in the prevention and/or treatment of gastroenteritis, necrotizing enterocolitis and chronic intestinal inflammation. 11,12 The molecular mechanisms underlying these protective effects of probiotic bifidobacteria in the gut are completely unknown.…”

Probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SC06 Prevents Bacterial Translocation in Weaned Mice

“…BT may cause the ingress of viable bacteria and their antigens with the development of sepsis, initiation of the cytokines mediated multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and death [10]. Probiotics are defined as non-pathogenic live microorganisms that seem to promote gut health and regulate intestinal homeostasis [9,23]. There are substantial researches focusing on modulation of the intestinal microbiota and host inflammatory responses by probiotic bacteria [23].…”

“…Probiotics are defined as non-pathogenic live microorganisms that seem to promote gut health and regulate intestinal homeostasis [9,23]. There are substantial researches focusing on modulation of the intestinal microbiota and host inflammatory responses by probiotic bacteria [23]. However, fewer studies have studied whether the availability of genus Bacillus reduce the BT.…”

The use of probiotics and safety concerns: A review

“…The term 'probiotics' was derived from the Greek word, meaning "for life" (Reid et al, 2003). An expert panel commissioned by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) defined probiotic as "live micro-organisms," which, when administered in adequate amounts confers a health benefits on the host (FAO/WHO, 2006).…”