A Brief Overview on Probiotics: The Health Friendly Microbes

Abstract

Probiotics are defined as non-pathogenic live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits on the host. Association of probiotics with human beings has a lot of history. Well known as 'health-friendly bacteria', they are widely used commercially as a functional food. The popularity of probiotics has gone exponentially high due to an increasing number of clinical trials, supporting their beneficial effects. Several in vivo and in-vitro experimental evidence supports strain-specific and disease-specific probiotic efficacy to prevent and ameliorate antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, traveller's diarrhoea, ulcerative colitis, and many more. Besides, numerous recent studies have reported that probiotics could have a significant effect in alleviating various metabolic, lifestyle and diet-related disorders like obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome Strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces boulardii are the most commonly used as probiotics. Safety, efficacy, pathogenicity, infectivity, intrinsic property, virulence factors are to be addressed during probiotic selection. The underlying mechanisms of probiotics effects are still not fully elucidated and have been under intensive research. Numerous diverse, strain-specific probiotic mechanisms have been proposed, which include early colonization of perturbed microbes, competitive exclusion of pathogens, short-chain volatile fatty acid production, alteration of gut pH, immunomodulation and many more. Considering the remarkable influence on human health, probiotics seem to be alluring attractive agents to promote human health conditions and to improve the quality of life against several diseases. This review discusses the current documentation and recent advances on probiotics and their possible health attributes, in scientific literature, focusing on diverse, heterogeneous, and strain-specific mechanisms of action. Randomised human controlled clinical trials are needed to reconfirm its safety and beneficial effects.

Isolation and characterization of starch degrading bacteria from disparate soil samples

“…Bacillus is a facultative anaerobic, spore-forming bacterial species usually obtained from the soil. Probiotics mean substances that are beneficial for the human body and Bacillus species is considered one of the top three probiotic producing organisms presently being consumed [22]. Bacillus sp.…”

Probiotics as modulators of gut-brain axis for cognitive development

“…Probiotics are living, non-pathogenic bacteria and yeast that are beneficial for the human body when administrated and improve and promote microbial balance, particularly in the digestive system ( Martín and Langella, 2019 ). They primarily comprise Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species or Saccharomyces boulardii ( Mishra and Acharya, 2021 ). The probiotic strains are involved in several physiological events, including reducing the pH of the intestine, cell-to-cell signaling, lower and preventing the colonization of pathogenic microbes and regulating the immune response of the host ( Iacob et al, 2019 ).…”

A Comprehensive Review of Bioactive Compounds from Lactic Acid Bacteria: Potential Functions as Functional Food in Dietetics and the Food Industry

“…Probiotics work by inhibiting the action of pathogenic bacteria, aiding immunomodulation, enhancing gut barrier function, and assisting in the release of neurotransmitters. Thus, probiotics aid in the maintenance of a sound gut-brain axis [101,102] Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla probiotics, including Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus salivarius subsp., have been used to treat a range of intestinal symptoms, including diarrhea-dominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, and antibiotic-induced diarrhea. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis included studies (all conducted in China) that showed that probiotic significantly reduces gastrointestinal complications in severe stroke patients, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis of studies (only conducted in China) p < 0.0001 [103].…”