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Probiotics

Role of Probiotics –

- A good probiotic agent needs to be non-pathogenic, nontoxic, resistant to

gastric acid, adhere to gut epithelial tissue and produce antibacterial

substances. It should persist, albeit for short periods in the gastro-intestinal

tract influencing metabolic activities like cholesterol assimilation, lactose

activity and vitamin production.

- Probiotics can be bacteria, moulds, yeast. But most probiotics are bacteria.

Among bacteria, lactic acid bacteria are more popular. Lactobacillus

acidophilus, L. casei, L. lactis, L. helviticus, L. salivarius, L. plantrum, L.

bulgaricus, L. rhamnosus, L. johnsonii, L. reuteri, L. fermentum, L.

delbrueckii, Streptococcus thermophilus, Enterococcus faecium, E. faecalis,

Bifidobacterium bifidum, B. breve, B. longum and Saccharomyces boulardii

are commonly used bacterial probiotics.

- A probiotic may be made out of a single bacterial strain or it may be a

consortium as well. Probiotics can be in powder form, liquid form, gel, paste,

granules or available in the form of capsules, sachets, etc.

- More recently the effect of probiotics on oral health studied as lead to the

emergence of new probiotics strains L. Reuteri having superior adhesion and

ability to colonise the entire digestive tract and oral cavity. Thus

demonstrating competitive colonisation of plaque biofilm. It limits the

proliferation of pathogenic bacteria by competing for pathogen binding

and receptor sites.

- Recently the role of L. Reuteri in the prevention of bacterias and candida

infections has been studied. The use of this lactobacilli in the treatment and

prevention of candidiasis has been suggested besides probiotics can also

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Probiotics

enhance specific and non specific immune responses. They upregulate anti

inflammatory cytokines and have a down regulatory effect in

hypersensitive patients. L. Reuteri also known to produce bacteriocins

such as Reuterin.

- Safe consumptions of L. Reuteri have been established in children and as well

as in immunocompromised children. Thus the oral administration of the

probiotics may be beneficial for the compromised patient.

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