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Beneficial Microbes Jul 2019A clear safety profile of probiotics in clinical practice is essential in decision-making for all stakeholders and regulators. Probiotics have been investigated in... (Review)
Review
A clear safety profile of probiotics in clinical practice is essential in decision-making for all stakeholders and regulators. Probiotics have been investigated in different target populations, conditions and age groups. This also includes the use of probiotics in critically ill patients. Despite promising results reported with the use of probiotics and synbiotics, there is still a lively discussion regarding the proper and safe use of probiotics among physicians, researchers and regulators. This doubt and debate was sparked by the high incidence in mortality reported in a study with critically ill patients. Whereas no causal relationship has been established since, safety of probiotic has been questioned. In response, an overwhelming body of evidence suggesting that probiotics are safe has been compiled. Moreover, data indicates that probiotics reduce the number of adverse events compared to the control. However, due to a lack of standardised safety reporting in clinical studies, a strong evidence base on probiotic safety remains to be established. Here, we will discuss: (1) the rationale for using probiotics in the critically ill; (2) what happened during the Dutch Pancreatitis trial; (3) what are the known safety risks of probiotics based on the available data; and finally (4) how standardisation in safety reporting can drive probiotic innovation. Building a strong safety profile for probiotic strains will solidify its use in individuals that can benefit the most from microbial modulation.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Clinical Decision-Making; Clinical Trials as Topic; Critical Illness; Humans; Pancreatitis; Probiotics; Synbiotics
PubMed: 31131618
DOI: 10.3920/BM2018.0159 -
Current Neuropharmacology 2023The effects of probiotics have mostly been shown to be favorable on measures of anxiety and stress. More recent experiments indicate single- and multi-strain probiotics... (Review)
Review
The effects of probiotics have mostly been shown to be favorable on measures of anxiety and stress. More recent experiments indicate single- and multi-strain probiotics in treating motorrelated diseases. Initial studies in patients with Parkinson's disease and Prader-Willi syndrome are concordant with this hypothesis. In addition, probiotics improved motor coordination in normal animals and models of Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury as well as grip strength in hepatic encephalopathy. Further studies should delineate the most optimal bacterial profile under each condition.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Parkinson Disease; Motor Skills; Probiotics
PubMed: 37550907
DOI: 10.2174/1570159X21666230807150523 -
Fish & Shellfish Immunology Aug 2023To counter the recurrent outbreaks of bacterial (acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease; AHPND) and viral (white spot disease; WSD) shrimp diseases, which still remain... (Review)
Review
To counter the recurrent outbreaks of bacterial (acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease; AHPND) and viral (white spot disease; WSD) shrimp diseases, which still remain a threat to the global industry, shrimp gut microbiota research has been gaining more attention in recent years, and the use of probiotics in aquaculture has had promising results in improving shrimp gut health and immunity. In this review based on our studies on AHPND and WSD, we summarize our current understanding of the shrimp gastrointestinal tract and the role of the microbiota in disease, as well as effects of probiotics. We focus particularly on the concept of microbiota resilience, and consider strategies that can be used to restore shrimp gut health by probiotic intervention at a crucial time during gut microbiota dysbiosis. Based on the available scientific evidence, we argue that the use of probiotics potentially has an important role in controlling disease in shrimp aquaculture.
Topics: Animals; Dysbiosis; Penaeidae; Bacteria; Probiotics; Gastrointestinal Microbiome
PubMed: 37290613
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.108886 -
Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) May 2023Meta-analyses have not examined the prophylactic use of orally ingested probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for preventing gastrointestinal tract infections (GTIs) of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Orally Ingested Probiotic, Prebiotic, and Synbiotic Interventions as Countermeasures for Gastrointestinal Tract Infections in Nonelderly Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Meta-analyses have not examined the prophylactic use of orally ingested probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for preventing gastrointestinal tract infections (GTIs) of various etiologies in adult populations, despite evidence that these gut microbiota-targeted interventions can be effective in treating certain GTIs. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the effects of prophylactic use of orally ingested probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on GTI incidence, duration, and severity in nonelderly, nonhospitalized adults. CENTRAL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched through January 2022. English-language, peer-reviewed publications of randomized, placebo-controlled studies testing an orally ingested probiotic, prebiotic, or synbiotic intervention of any dose for ≥1 wk in adults who were not hospitalized, immunosuppressed, or taking antibiotics were included. Results were analyzed using random-effects meta-analyses of intention-to-treat (ITT) and complete case (CC) cohorts. Heterogeneity was explored by subgroup meta-analysis and meta-regression. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias 2 tool. Seventeen publications reporting 20 studies of probiotics (n = 16), prebiotics (n = 3), and synbiotics (n = 1) were identified (n > 6994 subjects). In CC and ITT analyses, risk of experiencing ≥1 GTI was reduced with probiotics (CC analysis-risk ratio: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.73, 1.01) and prebiotics (risk ratio: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.98). No effects on GTI duration or severity were observed. Sources of heterogeneity included the study population and number of probiotic strains administered but were often unexplained, and a high risk of bias was observed for most studies. The specific effects of individual probiotic strains and prebiotic types could not be assessed owing to a lack of confirmatory studies. Findings indicated that both orally ingested probiotics and prebiotics, relative to placebo, demonstrated modest benefit for reducing GTI risk in nonelderly adults. However, results should be interpreted cautiously owing to the low number of studies, high risk of bias, and unexplained heterogeneity that may include probiotic strain-specific or prebiotic-specific effects. This review was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42020200670.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Prebiotics; Synbiotics; Probiotics; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Communicable Diseases
PubMed: 36822240
DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.02.002 -
Gut Microbes 2021is a class of organism that often appears in high-throughput sequencing data but has not been purely cultured and is widely present in the animal and human intestines.... (Review)
Review
is a class of organism that often appears in high-throughput sequencing data but has not been purely cultured and is widely present in the animal and human intestines. There is a strong association between variation in abundance and obesity, leanness, and human health. In addition, a growing body of studies has shown that is also implicated in other diseases, such as gallstones and chronic constipation, and has shown some correlation with the positive or negative changes in its course. Sequencing data combined with metabolic profiling indicate that is likely to be a genus capable of producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, which is an important reference indicator for screening "next-generation probiotics ". Considering the positive effects of in some specific diseases, such as obesity-related metabolic diseases, it has already been characterized as one of the next-generation probiotic candidates and therefore has great potential for development and application in the future food, health care, and biopharmaceutical products.
Topics: Animals; Clostridiales; Humans; Probiotics
PubMed: 34693878
DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1987783 -
Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology... Dec 2022A history of safe use is a backbone of safety assessments for many current probiotic species, however, there is no global harmonization regarding requirements for... (Review)
Review
A history of safe use is a backbone of safety assessments for many current probiotic species, however, there is no global harmonization regarding requirements for establishing probiotic safety for use in foods and supplements. As probiotic manufacturers are increasingly seeking to use new strains, novel species, and next-generation probiotics, justification based on a significant history of use may be challenged. There are efforts underway by a variety of stakeholders, including the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), to develop best practices guidelines for assessing the quality and safety of probiotics. A current initiative of the USP seeks to provide expert advice specific to safety considerations for probiotics. Toward this goal, this review provides a helpful summary guide to global regulatory guidelines. We question the suitability of traditional animal toxicology studies designed for testing chemicals for relevance in assessing probiotic safety. This includes discussion of the use of excessive dose levels, the length of repeated dose toxicity studies needed, and the most suitable animal species used in toxicology studies. In addition, the importance of proper manufacturing practices with regard to final product safety are also included. Thus, an outline of essential parameters of a comprehensive safety assessment for a probiotic are provided.
Topics: Animals; Probiotics; Dietary Supplements
PubMed: 36206977
DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2022.105266 -
FEMS Microbiology Reviews Jul 2023Probiotics, live microorganisms that confer health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts, have gained significant attention for their potential therapeutic... (Review)
Review
Probiotics, live microorganisms that confer health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts, have gained significant attention for their potential therapeutic applications. The beneficial effects of probiotics are believed to stem from their ability to enhance intestinal barrier function, inhibit pathogens, increase beneficial gut microbes, and modulate immune responses. However, clinical studies investigating the effectiveness of probiotics have yielded conflicting results, potentially due to the wide variety of probiotic species and strains used, the challenges in controlling the desired number of live microorganisms, and the complex interactions between bioactive substances within probiotics. Bacterial cell wall components, known as effector molecules, play a crucial role in mediating the interaction between probiotics and host receptors, leading to the activation of signaling pathways that contribute to the health-promoting effects. Previous reviews have extensively covered different probiotic effector molecules, highlighting their impact on immune homeostasis. Understanding how each probiotic component modulates immune activity at the molecular level may enable the prediction of immunological outcomes in future clinical studies. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the structural and immunological features of probiotic effector molecules, focusing primarily on Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. We also discuss current gaps and limitations in the field and propose directions for future research to enhance our understanding of probiotic-mediated immunomodulation.
Topics: Probiotics; Lactobacillus; Bacteria; Signal Transduction; Bifidobacterium
PubMed: 37541953
DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad046 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Sep 2021Recently the scientific community has seen a growing interest in the role of the gut-brain axis and, in particular, how probiotic supplementation may influence neural... (Review)
Review
Recently the scientific community has seen a growing interest in the role of the gut-brain axis and, in particular, how probiotic supplementation may influence neural function and behaviour via manipulation of the gut microbiota. The purpose of this review was to systematically review the current literature exploring the effect of probiotic intervention on cognitive function. PsychINFO, Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for human trials. Studies selected for inclusion administered a probiotic intervention and included at least one behavioural measure of cognitive performance. A total of 30 experimental papers were included, exploring the effect of probiotics across a variety of ages, populations and cognitive domains. The evidence suggests there may be potential for probiotics to enhance cognitive function or attenuate cognitive decline, particularly in clinically relevant adult populations for whom cognitive dysfunction may be present. However, the limited number of studies and the quality of the existing research makes it challenging to interpret the data. Further research is clearly warranted. PROSPERO: CRD42020164820.
Topics: Adult; Brain; Cognition; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Longevity; Probiotics
PubMed: 34171323
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.032 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Abundant microbiota resides in the organs of the body, which utilize the nutrition and form a reciprocal relationship with the host. The composition of these microbiota... (Review)
Review
Abundant microbiota resides in the organs of the body, which utilize the nutrition and form a reciprocal relationship with the host. The composition of these microbiota changes under different pathological conditions, particularly in response to stress and digestive diseases, making the microbial composition and health of the hosts body interdependent. Probiotics are living microorganisms that have demonstrated beneficial effects on physical health and as such are used as supplements to ameliorate symptoms of various digestive diseases by optimizing microbial composition of the gut and restore digestive balance. However, the supplementary effect does not achieve the expected result. Therefore, a targeted screening strategy on probiotic bacteria is crucial, owing to the presence of several bacterial strains. Core bacteria work effectively in maintaining microbiological homeostasis and stabilization in the gastrointestinal tract. Some of the core bacteria can be inherited and acquired from maternal pregnancy and delivery; others can be acquired from contact with the mother, feces, and the environment. Knowing the genera and functions of the core bacteria could be vital in the isolation and selection of probiotic bacteria for supplementation. In addition, other supporting strains of probiotic bacteria are also needed. A comprehensive strategy for mining both core and supporting bacteria before its clinical use is needed. Using metagenomics or other methods of estimation to discern the typically differentiated strains of bacteria is another important strategy to treat dysbiosis. Hence, these two factors are significant to carry out targeted isolation and selection of the functional strains to compose the resulting probiotic preparation for application in both research and clinical use. In conclusion, precise probiotic supplementation, by screening abundant strains of bacteria and isolating specific probiotic strains, could rapidly establish the core microbiota needed to confer resilience, particularly in bacterial dysfunctional diseases. This approach can help identify distinct bacteria which can be used to improve supplementation therapies.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Probiotics; Bacteria; Microbiota; Intestinal Diseases; Bacterial Infections
PubMed: 36341458
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1034727 -
Biologia Futura Dec 2021More than 6 billion bacteria and other microorganisms live in the adult oral cavity. As a result of any deleterious effect on this community, some microorganisms will...
More than 6 billion bacteria and other microorganisms live in the adult oral cavity. As a result of any deleterious effect on this community, some microorganisms will survive better than others, which may trigger pathogenic processes like caries, halitosis, gingivitis or periodontitis. Oral dysbiosis is among the most frequent human health hazards globally. Quality of life of patients deteriorates notably, while treatments are often unpleasant, expensive and irreversible, e.g. tooth loss. In the experiments reported here, we investigated the individual interactions between 8 pathogenic and 8 probiotic strains and a commercially available probiotic product. Almost all pathogens, namely Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus gordonii, Enterococcus faecalis and Prevotella buccae are pathogens frequently occurring in the oral cavity. The used probiotic strains were Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Bifidobacterium thermophilum and two Streptococcus dentisani isolates. Using a modified agar diffusion method, we investigated capability of the probiotic bacteria to prevent the growth of the pathogenic ones in order to identify candidates for future therapeutic treatments. The results indicated successful bacteriocin production, i.e. growth inhibition, against every pathogenic bacterium by at least 5 probiotic strains.
Topics: Antibiosis; Humans; Mouth; Periodontitis; Probiotics; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 34554489
DOI: 10.1007/s42977-021-00091-3