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POTENTIAL USES OF PROBIOTICS |
Beneficial effects of probiotics on human health have been increasingly reported. It has been reported that these probiotics can play an important role in immunological, digestive, respiratory and alleviating infectious disease in children. The most highlighted beneficial effect of probiotics has been on acute diarrhea caused by rotavirus in children. Other potential uses of probiotics that have been found on invitro and animal studies but need more placebo controlled trials in humans to support these effects are:
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Diarrhea:- In vitro studies have found that certain probiotic strains can inhibit the growth and adhesion of a range of enteropathogens and animal studies haveindicated beneficial effect in Salmonella. In addition, traveler's diarrhea due to bacterial infection has been benefited by probiotic use. Some open ended studies have shown that signs and symptoms of C.difficile infection can be alleviated by probiotics in diarrhea caused by clostridium difficile. In addition antibiotic associated diarrhea may also be benefited by probiotic. |
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Helicobacter pylori infection:- In vitro and animal studies indicate that probiotics can inhibit the growth of H.pylori and decrease urease enzyme activity necessary for the pathogen to remain in the acidic environment of stomach. |
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Inflammatory bowel disease:- Limited studies have supported the potential role of probiotics in therapy and prophylaxis in inflammatory bowel disease such as pouchitis and Crohn's disease. |
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Cancers:- Members of the gut flora can produce nitrosamines which is carcinogenic. There is preliminary evidence that probiotics can prevent or delay onset of certain cancers by modifying the flora leading to decreased carcinogen levels. |
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Immunity:- In elderly population, randomized double blind trials demonstrated that dietary consumption of B. lactis HN019 and L. rhamnosus HN001 have demonstrated, enhancement of immune parameters. |
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Allergy:- In clinical studies on infants allergic to cow's milk, atopic dermatitis was alleviated by ingestion of probiotic strains L. rhamnosus GG and B. lactis BB-12. |
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Heart disease:- Preliminary evidence suggests that lactobacilli may help in prevention and aid in therapy of ischemic heart disease. |
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Urogenital tract infections:- Probiotics delivered as food and topical preparations may have a role in preventing urogenital tract infections as well as treatment of bacterial vaginosis and vaginal candidiasis excluding sexually transmitted diseases.
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These all are potential benefits of probiotics demonstrated in either in vitro studies, animal studies or limited human studies and more controlled trials would be needed to determine efficacy of probiotics in these conditions excluding sexually transmitted diseases.
References:
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Bernet-Camarad MF, Lievin V, Brassart D, Neeser JR et al. The human lactobacillus acidophilus strain La-1 secretes a non bacteriocin antibacterial substances active in vivo and in vitro. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1997;63:2747-2753.
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Ogawa M, Shimizu K, Nomoto K, Takahashi M, Watanuki M, Tanaka R, Tanaka T et al. Protective effect of lactobacillus casei strain shirota on shiga toxin - producing Escherichia coli 0157:H7 infection in infant rabbits. Infect Immun 2001;69:1101-1108. |
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Shu Q, Lin N, Rutherfurd KJ, Fenwick SG, Prasad J, Gopal PK et al. Dietary bifidobacterium lactis HN019 enhances resistance to oral salmonella typhimurium infection in mice. Microbiol Immunol 2000;44:213-222. |
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Biller JA, Katz AJ, Flores AF, Buie TM, Gorbach SL. Treatment of recurrent clostridium difficile colitis with lactobacillus GG. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1995;21:224-226. |
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Arvola J, Laiho K, Torekkeli S, Mykkänen H, Salminen S, Maunula L, Isolauri E. Prophylactic lactobacillus GG reduces antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children with respiratory infections : a randomized study. Pediatrics 1999;104:1-4. |
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Aiba Y, Suzuki N, Kabir AMA, Takagi A, Koga Y. Lactic acid mediated suppression of Helicobacter pylori by the oral administration of lactobacillus salivarius as a probiotic in a gnotobiotic murine model. Am J Gastroenterol 1998;93:2097-2101. |
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Michetti P, Dorta G, Wiesel PH, Brassart D, Verdu E et al. Effect of whey-based culture supernatant of lactobacillus acidophilus (johnsonii) La 1 on Helicobacter pylori infection in humans. Digestion 1999;60:203-209. |
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Gill HS, Rutherfurd KJ, Prasad J, Gopal PK. Enhancement of natural and acquired immunity by lactobacillus rhamnosus (HN001), lactobacillus acidophilus (HN017) and Bifidobacterium lactis (HN019) Br J Nutr. 2000;83:167-176. |
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Isolauri E, Arvola T, Sutas Y, Moilanen E, Salminen S. Probiotics in the management of atopic eczema. Clin Exp Allergy. 2000;30:1604-1610. |
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Oxman T, Shapira M, Klein R, Avazov N, Rabinowitz B. Oral administration of lactobacillus induces cardioprotection. J Altern Complement Med. 2001;7:345-354. |
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Reid G, Bruce AW, Frasea N, Neinemann C, Owen J, Henning B. Oral probiotics can resolve urogenital infections. FEMS Microbiol Immunol 2001a;30:49-52. |
Last Updated : 1 st June 2009
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