Probiotics for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases: An Updated Review of the Published Literature

Abstract

Background: Probiotics can be viewed as biological agents that modify the intestinal microbiota and certain cytokine profiles, which can lead to an improvement in certain gastrointestinal diseases, including diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease. Discussion: Consumption of probiotics in their various forms, including yogurt, functional foods, and dietary supplements, is frequently encountered worldwide. Often, however, the correct prescription of these agents is dampened due to a lack of knowledge of the scientific evidence and the different presentations and microbial compositions of the currently available probiotic options. Here, we provide an up-to-date review of the evidence of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of various gastrointestinal diseases. Objective: Consumption of probiotics in their various forms, including yogurt, functional foods, and dietary supplements, is frequently encountered worldwide. Often, however, the correct prescription of these agents is dampened due to a lack of knowledge of the scientific evidence and the different presentations and microbial compositions of the currently available probiotic options. Methods/Results: Here, we provide an up-to-date review of the evidence of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of various gastrointestinal diseases. Conclusion: While not efficacious in every disease process studied, probiotics have demonstrated some benefit in several specific gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

Firmicutes and Blautia in gut microbiota lessened in chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a pilot study

“…The imbalance of the gut microbiota leads to an increased risk of endotoxemia, insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, obesity and metabolic disorders, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, and cancer [23][24][25][26] . Currently, probiotics and prebiotics can restore the normal flora of the gut microbiome and show favorable efficacy in the treatment of some pathological conditions including liver diseases 9,27,28 . The present study partly supplements the understanding of gut microbiota in the development of CLD and HCC.…”

Antioxidant Indexes and Immune Function of the Intestinal Flora of Compound Microecological Preparations

“…The ability to learn and remember is one of the main characteristics of the immune system, which is manifested in the ability of the immune system to learn and remember the antigenic structure it encounters for the first time. Immune memory is characterized by antigen specificity and durable effects [ 19 ]. Both T cells and B cells are involved in immune memory; that is, during the immune response, both memory B cells and memory T cells are present.…”

Probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota prevents acute liver injury by reshaping the gut microbiota to alleviate excessive inflammation and metabolic disorders

“…Furthermore, some microbes and their products can invade the circulatory system, resulting in immune dysregulation, infection and inflammation, which continuously contribute to liver failure and even death (Donnelly et al ., 2016). Therefore, increasing attention has been paid to methods improving the gut microbiota, especially those involving probiotics, to prevent and treat liver injury/failure (Dailey et al ., 2019; Jiang et al ., 2020; Yang et al ., 2020).…”