Mechanism of action of probiotics

• Main Authors: S Hemaiswarya, R. Raja, R. Ravikumar, Isabel S. Carvalho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto de Tecnologia do Paraná (Tecpar) 2013-02-01
• Series: Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology
• Subjects: Anti-allergic; Gastrointestinal problems; Immunomodulation; Infectious diseases; Probiotics
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-89132013000100015

The modern diet doesn't provide the required amount of beneficial bacteria. Maintenance of a proper microbial ecology in the host is the main criteria to be met for a healthy growth. Probiotics are one such alternative that are supplemented to the host where by and large species of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces are considered as main probiotics. The field of probiotics has made stupendous strides though there is no major break through in the identification of their mechanism of action. They exert their activity primarily by strengthening the intestinal barrier and immunomodulation. The main objective of the study was to provide a deep insight into the effect of probiotics against the diseases, their applications and proposed mechanism of action.