Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
18.3.2.9 Hypertension ......................................................................400
18.3.2.10 Kidney Stones ....................................................................400
18.3.2.11 Surgical Wound Infections.................................................400
18.3.2.12 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)......................................400
18.4 Prebiotics ...................................................................................................... 401
18.4.1 Osteoporosis ..................................................................................... 401
18.4.2 Obesity and Diabetes ........................................................................402
18.5 Probiotics as Vaccine Carriers......................................................................402
18.6 Formulation of Probiotics ............................................................................. 403
18.7 Hurdles and Road Ahead: The Future of Probiotics .................................... 405
18.8 Conclusions...................................................................................................406
References ..............................................................................................................406
18.1 INTroDuCTIoN
Historically, Charaka Samhita supposedly wrote a treatise on ayurvedic medi-
cine around 1000 bce in which he referred to the beneficial microbial flora of the
gastrointestinal tract (GIT) as “jataragni” (fire in the stomach), the sustaining force
of all living beings, and referred to “takra,” that is, fermented milk, as “amrita” or
elixir. It has now been established that the
Lactobacillus
strain stabilizes the healthy
intestinal flora and destroys the pathogenic strains present therein. More than 100
years ago, Elie Metchnikoff (1907) was the first to propose a scientific rationale
for the role of lactobacilli in maintaining health and longevity.
1
The term probi-
otic dates to 1965 when Lilly and Stilwell first used it to describe any substance or
organism that contributes to the intestinal microbial balance, and Fuller in 1989
further emphasized its role in health.
2,3
A probiotic is defined as a viable microbial
dietary supplement that beneficially affects the host through its effects in the intesti-
nal tract (Figure 18.1).
4-8
The most commonly used probiotics mainly come from two
genera:
Lactobacillus
and
Bifidobacterium
(Table 18.1). At present, probiotics are
almost exclusively consumed as fermented dairy products, such as yogurt or freeze-
dried cultures, but in the future they may also be found in fermented vegetables and
meats.
9
Novel modes of therapeutic and prophylactic interventions may include the
consumption of probiotics either alone or in combination with prebiotics.
A prebiotic is defined as a nondigestible food that beneficially affects the host
by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of
bacteria in the colon.
5
Modification of the intestinal microflora by prebiotics leads
to the predominance of health-promoting bacteria, especially, but not exclusively,
lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Nondigestible oligosaccharides in general and fructo-
oligosaccharides in particular are prebiotics. These are found naturally in onions,
garlic, leeks, chicory, artichokes, beans, and peas, as well as in some cereals.
10
A
synbiotic or eubiotic is a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, which beneficially
