Probiotics and Prebiotics

The results of many studies (Perin et al, 2000 Schrezenmeir and de Vrese, 2001 Shin et al, 2000 Gmeiner et al, 2000) point to a synergistic effect of probiotic and prebiotic combinations on the faecal microbiota of experimental animals. This effect was demonstrated by increased total anaerobes, aerobes, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria counts as well as by decreased Clostridia, Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli counts. The combination of probiotics and non-digestible carbohydrates may be a way of stabilisation and/or improvement of the probiotic effect. 

Tannock G.W. (2005). Probiotics and Prebiotics Scientific Aspects. Horizon Scientific Press, Caister. 

Sartor RB Therapeutic manipulation of the enteric microflora in inflammatory bowel diseases Antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics. Gastroenterology 2004 126 1620-1633. 

The mechanisms by which probiotics (and prebiotics) produce beneficial effects on the gut have not yet been fully elucidated. However, at least three mechanisms of action have been proposed (i) antibacterial agents produced by probiotic organisms may have an inhibitory effect on pathogenic microbes (ii) immune responses may be enhanced to suppress potential pathogens and (iii) competition in the gut epithelium may allow lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria to supplant pathogenic organisms. 

The effects of diet on poultry health need to be investigated in organic production, especially with the prohibition of antibiotics. The research to date indicates that probiotics and prebiotics are not as effective as antibiotics and more effective alternatives have to be discovered. 

Gibson, G.R. and Fuller, R. 2000. Aspects of in vitro and in vivo research approaches directed toward identifying probiotics and prebiotics for human use. J Nutr 130(2S Suppl) 391S-395S. 

Two types of functional food are not designed to provide us with dietary components, but to provide food for the microbes that inhabit our gut. These are the so-called probiotic and prebiotic foods. The former are meant to introduce better bacteria into our intestines, while the latter feed the bacteria that are already there in the hope of boosting more of the good bacteria and thereby helping them crowd out the bad bacteria. Various health claims have been made for these foods. 

Hedin, C., Whelan, K., and Lindsay, J. O. (2007). Evidence for the use of probiotics and prebiotics in inflammatory bowel disease A review of clinical trials. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 66(3), 307-315. 

Fooks, L.J. and Gibson, G.R., In vitm investigation of the effect of probiotics and prebiotics on selected human intestinal pathogens, FEMS Microbial Ecol., 39, 67-75, 2002. 

Pereira, D.I.A. and Gibson, G.R., Effects of consumption of probiotics and prebiotics on serum lipid levels in humans, Crit. Rev. Biochem. Mol. Biol., 37, 259-281, 2002. 

The use of prebiotics in association with useful probiotics may be a worthwhile approach, as prebiotics preferentially stimulate some probiotic strains. Combination of probiotic and prebiotic as synbiotic can also enhance probiotic effectiveness. 

Novel foods include those providing protein (soy and dairy), and those that are intended to improve cardiovascular health (stanol esters, P-glucan, bioactive peptides, and n-3 fatty acids), bone and joint health (calcium, glucosamine, and chondroitin), eye health (lutein), the immune system (milkmicronutrients, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, and colostrum), gut health (probiotics and prebiotics), body fitness (conjugated linoleic acid, amino acids, and glyco-macropeptide), energy level, and for beauty. 

The terms probiotics and prebiotics have become key words in the food technology industry (Chow 2002, Collins and Gibson 1999, Schrezenmeir and de Vrese 2001). Probiotic describes a live microbial food ingredient with potentially beneficial effects on health beyond basic nutrition. Prebiotics connotes food ingredients that potentially increase probiotic intestinal bacteria in vivo. Bifidobacteria, as well as lactobacilli, are the main targets of probiotics and prebiotics. 

ROLE OF PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS IN PREVENTION OF COLORECTAL CANCER... 

Frtrthermore, in all animal studies where mixtures of probiotics and prebiotics were examined, the effect of the combination was greater than the sttm of the two separately, suggesting a synergistic effect of symbiotic compotmds. Based on these studies, considerable attention is being paid to dietary components that can influence the coloitic microflora as well as supplemental probiotics as strategies for colon cancer prevention. 

Successful functional product innovations dealt with other food sources have been mainly launched targeting the markets for nonalcoholic beverages fortified with the vitamins or other functional ingredients, breakfast cereals, cholesterol-lowering spreads, confectionery, biscuits, cereal, cereal bars, soft drinks, probiotic and prebiotic dairy products. 

Chavarri, M. Maranon, L Ares, R. Ibanez, F.C. Marzo, R Villaran, M.D.C. Microencapsulation of a probiotic and prebiotic in alginate-chitosan capsules improves survival in simulated gastro-intestinal conditions. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 2010,142 (1-2), 185-189. 

ISAPP (International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics) webpages www.isapp.net. 

Kukkonen, K., SavUahti, E., Haahtela, T., Juntunen-Backman, K., Korpela, R., Poussa, T., et al. (2007). Probiotics and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides in the prevention of aUergic diseases a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Journal of Allergy arul Clinical Immunology, 779(1), 192-198. 

Fuller, R., Gibson, G. R. (1997). Modification of the intestinal microflora using probiotics and prebiotics. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 32, 28-31. 

Domig, K., Mayrhofer, S., Huys, G., Tosi, L., Danielsen, M., Mayo, B., et al. (2008). The ACE-ART database antibiotic susceptibility of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria in relation to their biological, geographical and chronological origin. International Journal of Probiotics and Prebiotics, 281-286. 

The preparations are featured with combining probiotics and prebiotics (mannans and glucans on cell walls of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and phytobiotics of the medicinal plants - Echinacea purpurea and holy thistle. Echinacea has immunomodulatory properties. Echinacea preparations exhibit antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. When intaking the Echinacea preparations at metabolic disorders, at the impact of different chemical compounds of toxic nature, contained in the feed (heavy metals, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides), a stimulation of the immune system has been observed. 

GANGULY s, PAUL I and MUKHOPADHAYAY s K (2010) Application and effectiveness of immunostimulants, probiotics, and prebiotics in aquaculture a review. Israeli Journal of Aquaculture-Bamidgeh, 62,130-138. 

Ooi LG, Liong MT. Cholesterol-lowering effects of probiotics and prebiotics a review of in vivo and in vitro findings. IntJ Mol Sci 2010 ll(6) 2499-522. 

The French Agency for Food Safety gave rough and broad guidelines in its dossier devoted to Probiotics and Prebiotics, suggesting that the amount of viable cells to be present in the gut after consuming such products must be greater than or equal to 10 CFU/mL in the small intestine (ileum) and 10 CFU/g in the colon, even if the same AFSSA document admits that "the scientific basis for these statements is relatively weak."... 

World Gastroenterology Organization. WGO Practice Guideline — Probiotics and Prebiotics. 2011. 

Reid G. Probiotics and prebiotics — progress and challenges. Int Dairy J. 2008 18 969-975. 

Tuohy KM, Probert HM, Smejkal CW, Gibson GR. Using probiotics and prebiotics to improve gut health. Drug Discov Today. 2003 8 692-700. 

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