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PubMed1999

Isolation and identification of lactobacilli from novel-type probiotic and mild yoghurts and their stability during refrigerated storage.

A total of 26 Lactobacillus strains were isolated from various mild yoghurts and novel-type probiotic dairy products and from a starter culture preparation and were identified by using DNA-DNA hybridization technique. The species present in those products were found to be Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. johnsonii, L. crispatus, L. casei, L. paracasei and L. rhamnosus. DNA homology analysis revealed that some strains had been misclassified by their investigators. Three strains designated as L. acidophilus (L. acidophilus LA-1, L. acidophilus ATCC 43121 and the Lactobacillus strain from Biogarde culture) were found to belong to L. johnsonii and L. acidophilus L1 to be L. crispatus. Strains designated as L. casei were found to be members of three separate species: L. casei, L. paracasei and L. rhamnosus. Viable numbers of lactobacilli in mild and probiotic yoghurts varied greatly including some products with very low Lactobacillus counts. The majority of the probiotic yoghurts, however, contained viable counts above 10(5) per g even at the end of the best before use period.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Acute oral toxicity and bacterial translocation studies on potentially probiotic strains of lactic acid bacteria.

Three potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 (DR20(TM)), Lb. acidophilus HN017 and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 (DR10()), have recently been identified and characterized. The present study was designed to evaluate the acute oral toxicity of these strains to mice, and also to investigate bacterial translocation and gut mucosal pathology in BALB/c mice fed HN019, HN001 or HN017 for 8 consecutive days at a high dose of 10(11)cfu/mouse/day. Results showed that these probiotic strains had no adverse effect on general health status, feed intake, body weight gain and intestinal mucosal morphology (villus height, crypt depth, epithelial cell height and mucosal thickness). No viable bacteria were recovered from blood and tissue samples (mesenteric lymph nodes, liver and spleen) of mice, and no treatment-associated illness or death was observed. According to these results, the oral LD(50) of HN019, HN001 and HN017 is more than 50g/kg/day for mice, and their acceptable daily intake (ADI) value is 35g dry bacteria per day for a 70-kg person. This suggests that the probiotic strains HN019, HN001 and HN017 are non-pathogenic and likely to be safe for human consumption.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2001

Evaluation of the components of a commercial probiotic in gnotobiotic mice experimentally challenged with Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica ser. Typhimurium.

Vitacanis((R)), a probiotic preparation containing a Lactobacillus acidophilus, an Enterococcus faecium and a Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been developed for the prevention of intestinal disorders in dogs and cats. In the present study, these microorganisms were tested jointly or singly during experimental infection of gnotobiotic mice with Salmonella Typhimurium. Four experimental groups consisting of animals given probiotics jointly or singly and a control group consisting of germfree mice were used. The groups were treated with one or three of the microorganisms (experimental) or PBS (control) 10 days before intragastric challenge with a suspension containing about 10(2) cells of the bacterial pathogen. A higher survival (P<0.05) was observed in gnotobiotic mice given E. faecium (82%). All the animals in the other groups died after the challenge but the survival time was longer (P<0.05) for groups given all three of the microorganisms (7.4+/-2.4 days) or given only L. acidophilus (7.2+/-2.9 days) than for the control mice (4.4+/-1.1 days) and the mice that received S. cerevisiae (4.9+/-1.6 days) mice. The survival data agreed with the histopathological findings which showed more severe liver and intestinal lesions in control mice and in mice given Saccharomyces. In vitro antagonistic assays showed inhibition growth of E. faecium and S. Typhimurium around the colonies of L. acidophilus and for S. Typhimurium around the colonies of E. faecium. However, in vivo, S. Typhimurium became similarly established in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic mice at levels ranging from 10(8) to 10(10)CFU/g of feces and remained at these high levels until the animals died or were sacrificed. Among the three probiotic components of the commercial product Vitacanis((R)), E. faecium was the only one that provided protection against challenge with S. Typhimurium. Protection was not due to the reduction of the intestinal populations of the pathogenic bacteria.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Probiotic use in children.

Interest in nutritional supplements and functional foods has risen significantly in recent years. Many of the products that are marketed to consumers tout the benefits of probiotics for general good health and for a wide variety of conditions and situations. Although most of these products have been used safely for years, careful analysis of scientific research should be conducted before routinely recommending these products, especially for children. A basic understanding of intestinal flora, properties of probiotics, and clinical research findings is necessary for clinicians to delineate the role of probiotic agents in the pediatric population.

Child↗

PubMed2001

Probiotic activities of Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus: in vitro adherence to intestinal cells and antimicrobial properties.

The interest of probiotics as remedies for a broad number of gastrointestinal and other infectious diseases has gained wide interest over the last few years, but little is known about their underlying mechanism of action. In this study, the probiotic activities of a human isolate of Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus strain (Lcr35) were investigated. Using intestinal Caco-2 cell line in an in vitro model, we demonstrated that this strain exhibited adhesive properties. The inhibitory effects of Lcr35 organisms on the adherence of three pathogens, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and Klebsiella pneumoniae, were determined. A decrease in the number of adhering pathogens was observed, using either preincubation, postincubation or coincubation of the pathogens with Lcr35. Moreover, the antibacterial activities of cell-free Lcr35 supernatant was examined against nine human pathogenic bacteria, ETEC, EPEC, K. pneumoniae, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Clostridium difficile. The growth of all strains was inhibited, as measured by determining the number of viable bacteria over time, but no bactericidal activity was detected in this in vitro assay. Together, these findings suggest that this probiotic strain could be used to prevent colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by a large variety of pathogens.

Antibiosis↗

PubMed2001

Effects of probiotic administration upon the composition and enzymatic activity of human fecal microbiota in patients with irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhea.

In a clinical trial, 10 patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhea were administered the probiotic preparation VSL-3. Preliminary results indicated that administration of VSL-3 improved the clinical picture and changed the composition and biochemistry of fecal microbiota. Titer variations of intestinal bacterial groups were evaluated by culture and PCR techniques. A significant increase in lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and Streptococcus thermophilus was observed as a consequence of probiotic treatment, while enterococci, coliforms, Bacteroides and Clostridium perfringens did not change significantly. The strains Bifidobacterium infantis Y1 and Bifidobacterium breve Y8, included in VSL-3, were specifically detected in feces of patients treated with the probiotic by using strain-specific PCR primers. In addition, fecal beta-galactosidase increased and urease activities decreased as a result of changes in the intestinal microbiota induced by VSL-3 administration.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

The use of probiotics in medical practice.

Probiotics are defined as living organisms, beneficial to health when ingested. Different species of microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria or yeasts have been proposed for human use. These microorganisms differ from each other and it is, therefore, unlikely that they will act in the same way. Probiotics could be used for several conditions such as diarrhoea, candidal vaginitis, urinary tract infections, immune disorders, lactose intolerance, hypercholesterolaemia and food allergy. The effects of probiotics in some of these conditions have been directly observed, in others it has been only suggested on the basis of in vitro studies and from experimental animal models. Controlled trials are needed to determine the scientific basis for their use, the correct formulation and ways of administration in different clinical situations.

Colonic Neoplasms↗

PubMed2001

Food processing: probiotic microorganisms for beneficial foods.

Human studies have demonstrated that selected probiotic strains can influence the composition of the intestinal microflora and modulate the host immune system. Considerable promise was also demonstrated for the application of probiotics in human disease. However, the extension of probiotic applications demands increasing scientific attention to their functionality and the identification of molecular structures.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2005

Does intravaginal probiotic supplementation increase the pregnancy rate in IVF-embryo transfer cycles?

This study investigated the effect of intravaginal administration of probiotics immediately after oocyte retrieval on vaginal colonization and outcome of the IVF-embryo transfer cycle. One hundred and seventeen women who underwent ovarian stimulation and IVF were randomized immediately after oocyte retrieval into two groups: those who received intravaginal probiotics (study group, n = 50) and those who did not (control group, n = 67). Vaginal colonization with lactobacilli and pregnancy rate were compared between the two groups. No significant between-group differences were observed in patient age, oestrogen and progesterone concentrations on day of human chorionic gonadotrophin administration, number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, number of embryos transferred, or pregnancy rate. The presence of lactobacilli in the vagina during oocyte retrieval or embryo transfer did not improve the pregnancy rate. Furthermore, intravaginal administration of lactobacilli following oocyte retrieval did not affect the prevalence of lactobacilli during embryo transfer, or the pregnancy rate. Intravaginal probiotic supplementation immediately after oocyte retrieval has no effect on vaginal colonization or pregnancy rate in IVF cycles.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMed2005

Vaginal lactobacilli, probiotics, and IVF.

Perturbation of the normal lactobacilli-dominated vaginal microflora is associated with reproductive failure and adverse pregnancy outcomes, ranging from early pregnancy loss to late miscarriage and preterm birth. As high rates of bacterial vaginosis are observed with IVF patients, abnormal vaginal microflora presumably explain, at least to some extent, reproductive failure as well as the increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome seen in these patients. Accordingly, there may be a window of opportunity for improving IVF success rates and outcomes. At present, a screen-and-treat procedure to restore the normal vaginal microflora is not a routine part of the infertility work-up and treatment. While Gram staining of vaginal smears would offer an inexpensive and validated means for screening and diagnosis, probiotics that contain live lactobacilli capable of re-colonizing the vagina may offer an elegant and safe choice of treatment. Carefully designed trials using well characterized probiotic strains and treatment regimens are still required to evaluate the effect of probiotics on IVF-embryo transfer pregnancy rates.

Female↗

PubMed2003

Probiotics, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile diarrhoea in humans.

Probiotics are living organisms which, when ingested, have a beneficial therapeutic effect. Examples are bacteria, especially Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Controlled trials indicate a benefit of both of these in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Other less effective probiotics are Lactinex, Enterococcus faecium and bifidobacteria. In the difficult clinical problem of recurrent Clostridium difficile disease, S. boulardii as an adjunct to antibiotics has shown benefit in controlled trials. There is, however, less convincing evidence for the efficacy of Lactobacillus GG in this disease. Additional controlled trials and safety studies are needed before there can be a widespread endorsement of probiotics for these two conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Probiotics and colon cancer.

Although a myriad of health-promoting effects have been attributed to the probiotic lactic acid bacteria, perhaps the most interesting and controversial is that of anticancer activity, the vast majority of studies in this area dealing with protective effects against colon cancer. There is no direct experimental evidence for cancer suppression in humans as a result of the consumption of probiotic cultures in fermented or unfermented dairy products, but there is a wealth of indirect evidence, based largely on laboratory studies. Reports in the literature regarding the anticancer effects of lactic acid bacteria fall into the categories of in vitro studies, animal studies, epidemiological studies and human dietary intervention studies. Examples of these reports will be given in the current paper. The mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria may inhibit colon cancer are still poorly understood, but, several potential mechanisms are being discussed in the literature, and these will also be addressed in this review.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Probiotics--role in inflammatory bowel disease.

The aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease is still unclean. Whilst a specific pathogen agent associated with these diseases has not been found, the rationale for probiotic therapy in inflammatory bowel disease is based on convincing evidence involving intestinal bacteria in their pathogenesis. Encouraging results have been obtained with probiotic therapy in several animal models of experimental colitis. The administration of highly concentrated probiotic preparations represents a valid approach both for the prevention of pouchitis onset and relapses. The encouraging results obtained in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease need to be further assessed in large double-blind trials.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Conjugated linoleic acid content and organoleptic attributes of fermented milk products produced with probiotic bacteria.

The effect of probiotic bacteria on the formation of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), microbial growth, and organoleptic attributes (acidity, texture, and flavor) of fermented milk products was determined. Four probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii 56, P. freudenreichii subsp. shermanii 51, and P. freudenreichii subsp. freudenreichii 23, were evaluated individually or in coculture with traditional yogurt cultures (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus). The lipid source was hydrolyzed soy oil. L. rhamnosus, in coculture with yogurt culture, resulted in the highest content of CLA. Growth and CLA formation of propionibacteria were enhanced in the presence of yogurt cultures. Texture and flavor attributes of fermented milks produced with propionibacteria were significantly different than the fermented milks processed with yogurt cultures. The fermented milks processed with probiotic bacteria in coculture with yogurt cultures demonstrated similar acidity, texture, and flavor as the fermented milk produced with yogurt cultures.

Caseins↗

PubMed2004

Studies on the time course of the effects of the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii on electrolyte transport in pig jejunum.

Orally administered Saccharomyces boulardii (synonym Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen CBS 5926) has already been shown to affect relevant functions of the mucosa in pig jejunum such as lowering the secretory response to theophylline or stimulating sodium/glucose cotransport, but knowledge of time-dependent relationship is minimal. In this study we examined the effects of S. boulardii on sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) transport in pig jejunum under nonstimulated (basal) and stimulated (secretory) conditions. For this purpose the conventional Ussing chamber method was used for measuring electrical parameters (short circuit currents, Isc; tissue conductances, G(T)) and electrolyte transport of isolated intact jejunal epithelia in the absence and presence of the secretagogue theophylline (10 mM, serosal side). Time profiles of the mucosa response were assessed by treating animals perorally with S. boulardii for 0 (control), 3, 8, and 16 days. Intestinal tissues were obtained from growing pigs in the weight range between 25 and 40 kg. All animals were fed twice daily and received 1.0-1.6 kg/day of a standard diet avoiding probiotics as food additives. After a 9- to 10-day adaptation period the diets for treated animals were supplemented with approximately 1.8 x 10(7) colony forming units (CFU)/g feed of the probiotic. Whereas basal tissue conductances were not affected by treatment duration, basal Isc values decreased significantly during 8 days of treatment, by 26%, indicating a lower electrogenic net ion transport, which, however, was reconstituted after 16 days. This effect could be explained by almost the same reduction of basal Jms of Na+ during 8 days of treatment, whereas respective flux rates in the opposite direction remained stable. Under basal conditions unidirectional and net flux rates of Cl- were not affected by S. boulardii. Induction of secretory conditions by theophylline revealed pronounced increases in net Cl- secretion but this effect was more than 60% lower after 8-day S. boulardii application, and this was reflected by a respectively lower Isc stimulation. Interestingly, this inhibitory effect on the secretory response could no longer be observed in the 16-day group. And this was reflected by a respectively lower Isc stimulation. A similar effect could be observed regarding net Na+ flux rates. Residual fluxes were affected neither by S. boulardii nor by theophylline, therefore, Isc values can be explained completely by respective Na+ and Cl- fluxes. In conclusion, S. boulardii has specific duration-dependent effects on the secretory response of the pig jejunal mucosa which developed during 8-day treatment but disappeared during further application. Thus, this study supports the concept that probiotics may exert beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tract.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Enhancing immunity by dietary consumption of a probiotic lactic acid bacterium (Bifidobacterium lactis HN019): optimization and definition of cellular immune responses.

OBJECTIVE: To define the cellular basis for immune enhancement by a probiotic lactic acid bacteria strain (Bifidobacterium lactis HN019); and to determine whether immune enhancement can be optimized by delivery in oligosaccharide-enriched low-fat milk. DESIGN: A double-blind, three-stage before-and-after intervention trial. SETTING: Taipei Medical College Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. SUBJECTS: Fifty healthy Taiwanese citizens (age range 41-81; median 60) randomly allocated to two groups. INTERVENTIONS: In stage 1 (run-in control stage) all subjects consumed reconstituted low-fat milk (LFM) for 3 weeks; in stage 2 (probiotic intervention) subjects consumed B. lactis in LFM (group A) or B. lactis in lactose-hydrolysed LFM (group B) for 3 weeks; in stage 3 all subjects returned to non-supplemented LFM for a further 3 weeks (washout stage). The innate immune functions of two different leucocyte types (polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells and natural killer (NK) cells) were assessed at four time points via in vitro analyses on peripheral blood samples. RESULTS: While consumption of LFM alone had no significant effect on immune responses, stage 2 results indicated significantly enhanced PMN cell phagocytosis and NK cell tumour killing activity following consumption of milk containing B. lactis. These increases levelled off following cessation of B. lactis consumption, but remained above the pre-treatment values. Increases in PMN and NK cell activity were greatest among subjects who consumed B. lactis in lactose-hydrolysed LFM. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary consumption of the probiotic bacterium B. lactis HN019 enhanced immune function of two different types of leucocytes; the degree of enhancement was increased by consuming B. lactis in an oligosaccharide-rich substrate. SPONSORSHIP: Financial support was provided by the New Zealand Dairy Board.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Probiotics as a help in children suffering from malnutrition and diarrhoea.

Malnutrition is associated with a significant impairment of cell-mediated immunity, phagocyte function, immunoglobulin A concentrations and cytokine production. This situation-which is unfortunately very frequent in infants and children from developing countries-leads to a high risk of infection, and often to episodes of diarrhoea, hence aggravating the nutritional status. Fermented milks are known to exert a beneficial influence on the host's health. They act by modulating gut microflora, regulating any alteration of gut mucosa and stimulating immune response. A number of studies have shown that probiotics shorten the duration of diarrhoea and prevent recurrence of other episodes. Furthermore, probiotics can prevent diarrhoea from infection in infants with malnutrition. In addition, it has been shown that cytokines could be used as biological markers of both impaired immune system and the immune stimulation of probiotics. The aim of this review is to update the effect of fermented milks in situations of malnutrition and diarrhoea as a consequence of infection as well as the role of cytokines produced by fermented milks in these deficient conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Benefits of early enteral nutrition with glutamine and probiotics in brain injury patients.

Brain injury patients have higher energy and protein expenditures and are prone to infections. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the results of early enteral feeding with glutamine and probiotics in brain injury patients. Twenty-three brain injury patients (Glasgow score between 5-12 and therapeutic intervention scoring system>20) were studied. Three patients were excluded to leave 20 remaining patients. Patients were randomized to receive either an early enteral diet (control group, n=10) or the same formula with glutamine and probiotics added (study group, n=10) for a minimum of 5 days (range, 5-14 days). The diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous [35 kcal.kg(-1).day(-1) (where 1 kcal approximately 4.184 kJ) and 1.5 g of protein.kg(-1).day(-1)]. Main outcome measures were the incidence of infection, the length of stay in the intensive care unit and the number of days requiring mechanical ventilation. The two groups were homogeneous in gender, age, nutritional status and severity of trauma. There was no mortality during the study period. The infection rate was higher in controls (100%) when compared with the study group (50%; P=0.03) and the median (range) number of infections per patient was significantly greater (P<0.01) in the control group [3 (1-5)] compared with the study group [1 (0-3)]. Both the critical care unit stay [22 (7-57) compared with 10 (5-20) days; P<0.01; median (range)] and days of mechanical ventilation [14 (3-53) compared with 7 (1-15) days; P=0.04; median (range)] were higher in the patients in the control group than in the study group. We conclude that the enteral formula containing glutamine and probiotics decreased the infection rate and shortened the stay in the intensive care unit of brain injury patients.

Adult↗