Bifidobacterium intestine

Di-D-fructose dianhydrides have been claimed to promote the growth of bifidobacteria in vitro.134 Bifidobacterium spp. are found in the large intestines of most vertebrates.135 The benefits attributed to the presence of a healthy population of bifidobacteria in the gut include inhibition of carcinogenesis,136 suppression of putrefactive substances,137 lowering of blood pressure and blood... 

Duchmann R, May E, Heike M, Knolle P, Neu-rath M, Meyer zum Buschenfelde KH T cell specificity and cross-reactivity towards enterobacteria, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium and antigens from resident intestinal flora in humans. Gut 1999 44 812-818. 

Shin HY et al (2003) Purification and characterization of a a-L-arabinopyranosidase and a-L-arabinofuranosidase from Bifidobacterium breve K-110, a human intestinal anaerobic bacterium metabolizing ginsenoside Rb2 and Rc. Appl Environ Microbiol 69 7116 Park SY et al (2001) Purification and characterization of ginsenoside Rbi-metabohzing P-glucosidase from Fusobacterium K-60, a human intestinal anaerobic bacterium. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 65(5) 1163... 

Bifidobacterium Fermentation. A unique form of lactic fermentation has been observed in members of the genus Bifidobacterium. These anaerobic bacteria are commonly found in the intestinal tract and feces of human infants and adults, as well as many animal species. Most Bifidobacterium spp. can acidify milk, and they produce acetic and lactic acids in an approximate 3 2 molar ratio when growing on glucose (Buchanan and Gibbons 1974). The Bifidobacterium fermentation (Fig-... 

Yasui, Y. and Ohwaki, M. 1991. IgA production and intestinal microflora Augmentation of IgA production by Bifidobacterium breve. Jpn Clin Microsc 24 426 4-30. 

O Hara, A. M., O Regan, P., Fanning, A., O Mahony, C., MacSharry, J., Lyons, A., Bienenstock, J., O Mahony, L., and Shanahan, F. (2006). Functional modulation of human intestinal epithelial cell responses by Bifidobacterium infantis and Lactobacillus salivarius. Immunology 118, 202-215. 

Probiotics are defined as microbial preparations of living microorganisms having a positive effect on the intestinal flora after oral administration (R. Fuller, 1989). Bacterial cultures such as those derived from Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactococcus lactis. Enterococcus faedum (see below). Bifidobacterium bifidum (see below), LactobadUus casd and Lactobacillus thermophilicum have proved reliable. 

The normal balance of intestinal flora may be maintained or restored to normal from an unbalanced state by a well-balanced diet or by oral bacteriotherapy. Oral bacteriotherapy, using intestinal strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, can restore normal intestinal balance and produce beneficial effects. 

In the first clinical demonstration of specific probiotic strains modifying the changes related to allergic inflammation (i.e. tertiary prevention), a randomised double-blind controlled trial was carried out in Finland. A small number of infants who manifested atopic eczema while exclusively breast-feeding were weaned to probiotic supplemented Bifidobacterium lactis or Lactobacillus) extensively hydrolysed whey formulas, or to the same formula without probiotics. A significant improvement in skin condition occurred in patients given probiotic-supplemented formulas. The concentration of soluble CD4 in serum and eosinophilic protein X in urine were reduced, indicating that probiotics may counteract inflammatory responses beyond the intestinal milieu [186(Ib)]. 

The ability to hydrolyze the peptide bond in conjugated bile acids (Fig. 1) is widely distributed among intestinal bacteria. Conjugated bile acid hydrolase (CBH) (EC 3.5) activity has been detected in members of the genera Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Peptostreptococcus and Streptococcus [13-17]. However, there is considerable variation in occurrence of this enzymatic activity among species and strains. 

HSDH activities are found rather widely distributed among intestinal bacteria including members of the genera Bacteroides, Eubacterium, Clostridium, Bifidobacterium and Escherichia [25-29]. In the human intestinal microflora, 7a-HSDH appears to be much more widely distributed than 3a-HSDH or 12a-HSDH [17]. Individual species may contain from 1 to 3 different stereospecific HSDHs. However, there is considerable variation between strains regarding the presence and extent of HSDH activity. 

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