What could probiotic do for us?

Gastrointestinal microbes play important roles in the health and disease of the host. There are many documented evidences which demonstrated that disturbance of intestinal microbiota is linked to the risk of developing infectious, inflammatory and allergic diseases. Human intestine is home for a complex consortium of 1013–1014 microbial cells. Interactions between the intestinal microbes, pathogens and the host lead to exclusion of toxins (mycotoxins) and pathogens (colonization resistance), interference in disease progression as demonstrated in the prevention of oral infection, dental caries, diarrhoeas (Antibiotic Associated Diarrhoea, Travellers’ Diarrhoea and Rotavirus Diarrhoea), postoperative infection, respiratory infection and certain cancers. The group of beneficial intestinal microbes termed probiotics alter intestinal epithelial cell tight junction and immunological functions. Lately, laboratory and clinical studies demonstrated gut-brain axis communication and intestinal microbial (both pathogens and probiotics) modulation of host psycho-neuroimmunological functions, in relation to depression, anxiety and memory dysfunction. These open up many possibilities of probiotics supplementation for moderating intestinal microbiota as an approach in disease prevention and treatment.