Friendly Bacteria!

If bacteria have ever gotten a warm welcome in medicine it's now: probiotics—the "friendly" bacteria. Probiotics, are live cultures of micro-organisms, usually bacteria, that, when ingested, survive passage through the upper gastrointestinal tract and have beneficial effects on the host. The most common bacteria used in probiotics include Lactobacillus species, bifidobacteria, some streptococci and other gram-positive cocci. These micro-organisms should resist gastric acid, bile salts and pancreatic enzymes, and adhere to and readily colonise the bowel where they displace potentially dangerous bacteria and create an environment that is unfavourable for the multiplication of such pathogens.

However, in Italy one probiotic product, a suspension of Bacillus subtilis spores manufactured by sanofi-aventis, has been available over the counter since 1999 for the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders.

Uses suggested for probiotics include:

1. To reduce the incidence and severity of diarrhea
2. To reduce the risk of allergic conditions
3. To improve immune function
4. To manage inflammatory bowel conditions such as Crohn’s disease, uncreative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome
5. To prevent Helicobacter pylori gastritis
6. To reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance
7. To reduce vaginal infections
8. To decrease blood cholesterol
9. To protect against bowel cancer
   
   

Note: Probiotics and Prebiotics are not same. I am arranging some information about Prebiotics it will be published here very soon.

Information source: The Pharmaceutical Journal (Vol 278) 31 March 2007. Arrangement of the sentences and some words are changed to make it more interesting and easy.