Probiotics in allergic rhinitis

Probiotics are live microorganisms used as supplementary food, usually lactic acid bacteria that can change either the composition and/or the metabolic activities of the gut microbiota modulating the immune system in a way that benefits the person's health.Aim: to review the use of Probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) in allergic rhinitis patients.Materials and Methods: Pubmed original articles were used as data source.Results: results indicate that probiotics, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium appear to prevent allergy recurrences, alleviate the severity of symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients with allergic rhinitis. This happens because of the immune system modulation through the induction of cytokine production which cause a dominant TH1 response in allergic patients by modulating the TH1/TH2 balance effect.Conclusion: The use of probiotic bacteria could be an effective and safe way to prevent and/or treat allergic rhinitis, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, clinical studies using probiotics and dietary intervention should be the focus of future research to enable a more widespread use.     

The effects of an orally administered probiotic on sulfasalazine metabolism in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary study

Aim: To carry out a pilot study to investigate the effect of short‐term oral probiotic administration on the metabolism of sulfasalazine (SSZ) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) stabilized on SSZ. Methods: Twelve subjects with RA taking stable doses of SSZ for a minimum of 3 months prior to the study, received a probiotic preparation contained three strains of bacteria (1.8 × 10⁹ CFU/day) twice daily for 1 week. Single point blood and 12‐h urine samples were taken before and after probiotic treatment and 3 weeks following discontinuation of probiotics, for determination of SSZ and its metabolites. The presence of the probiotic bacteria in the feces of patients was investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Results: Adverse events recorded were three instances of gastrointestinal disturbance and one flare of RA. Plasma and urinary levels of SSZ and its metabolites showed no statistically significant changes after probiotic administration and the incidence of gastrointestinal disturbance did not appear to be ascribed to higher sulfapyridine plasma levels. Probiotic‐specific DGGE bands were detected in the feces of some patients after the treatment period. Conclusions: Short‐term treatment of RA patients with a multi‐strain probiotic did not significantly influence SSZ metabolism as has been demonstrated in animal models.     

Oral Bifidobacterium modulates intestinal immune inflammation in mice with food allergy

Background and Aims: It is proposed that probiotics have a therapeutic effect on the treatment of immune disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms require clarification. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of gavage‐feeding Bifidobacteria on suppression of T helper 2 (Th2) pattern inflammation in the intestines of mice with food allergy. Methods: Mice were sensitized to ovalbumin to induce the intestinal Th2 pattern inflammation. Allergic mice were treated with or without Bifidobacteria via gavage‐feeding. Th2 response, number of regulatory T cells (Treg) in the spleen and intestine, intestinal epithelial barrier function and bifidobacterial translocation were examined. Results: The results showed that serum‐specific immunoglobulin E antibody and interleukin 4 (IL‐4) were increased in allergic mice. Intestinal epithelial barrier function was impaired in allergic mice as shown by the increase in epithelial ion secretion and permeability to macromolecular protein horseradish peroxidase in Ussing chambers. Number of Treg was decreased in both spleen and intestines of allergic mice. Gavage‐feeding Bifidobacteria significantly suppressed the skewed Th2 response and increased the number of Treg. Transient bifidobacterial translocation was observed in allergic mice. Conclusions: Oral administration of Bifidobacteria has the capacity to suppress the skewed Th2 response in allergic mice, increasing the number of Treg and IL‐10‐positive cells and improve the impaired intestinal epithelial barrier function.     

Airway microbiota and acute respiratory infection in children

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs), such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia, are the leading cause of hospitalization of infants in the US. While the incidence and severity of ARI can vary widely among children, the reasons for these differences are not fully explained by traditional risk factors (e.g., prematurity, viral pathogens). The recent advent of molecular diagnostic techniques has revealed the presence of highly functional communities of microbes inhabiting the human body (i.e., microbiota) that appear to influence development of local and systemic immune response. We propose a ‘risk and resilience’ model in which airway microbiota are associated with an increased (risk microbiota) or decreased (resilience microbiota) incidence and severity of ARI in children. We also propose that modulating airway microbiota (e.g., from risk to resilience microbiota) during early childhood will optimize airway immunity and, thereby, decrease ARI incidence and severity in children.     

Effects of Streptococcus thermophilus TH-4 in a rat model of doxorubicin-induced mucositis

Abstract

Background. Mucositis is a debilitating intestinal side effect of chemotherapeutic regimens. Probiotics have been considered a possible preventative treatment for mucositis. Streptococcus thermophilus TH-4 (TH-4), a newly identified probiotic, has been shown to partially alleviate mucositis induced by administration of the antimetabolite chemotherapy drug, methotrexate in rats; likely mediated through a mechanism of folate production. However, its effects against other classes of chemotherapy drug have yet to be determined. Aims. The authors investigated the effects of TH-4 in a rat model of mucositis induced by the anthracycline chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin. Methods. Gastrointestinal damage was induced in female Dark Agouti rats (148.3 ± 1.5 g) by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (20 mg/kg). Animals recieved a daily oral gavage of TH-4 at 10⁹ cfu/ml or skim milk (vehicle) from days 0 to 8. At day 6, rats were injected with either saline or doxorubicin. At kill, small intestinal tissues were collected for determination of sucrase and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities and histological assessment. Results. Body weight was significantly decreased by doxorubicin compared with normal controls (p < 0.05). Histological parameters, such as crypt depth and villus height, were also significantly decreased by doxorubicin. TH-4 partially prevented the loss of body weight induced by doxorubicin (2.3% compared with 4%), but provided no further therapeutic benefit. Conclusions. The minimal amelioration of doxorubicin-induced mucositis by TH-4 further supports folate production as a likely mechanism of TH-4 action against methotrexate-induced mucositis. Further studies into TH-4 are required to confirm its applicability to other conventional chemotherapy regimens.     

7种临床用口服益生菌制剂的活菌数量测定与分析

目的比较7种临床用口服益生菌产品的活菌数量与产品标签是否一致。方法用平皿菌落计数法检测产品的活菌数量。结果考察的7种产品共7批的活菌数含量有2个产品的活菌数量与标签不符。结论考察的7种产品中,5种产品的活菌数量与标签标注基本一致。     

中国发酵乳制品益生菌菌种的安全性评估

本文对中国2000年~2006年发酵乳制品行业常用的137株益生菌菌种进行了毒力试验安全性评价,同时检测了31株益生菌对20种抗生素的耐药性,初步评估中国目前所使用的益生菌菌种安全性。结果表明:除一株鼠李糖乳杆菌外,其余益生菌菌种均为安全的。31株益生菌均对下列抗生素敏感:氨苄西林、青霉素、亚胺培南、庆大霉素、阿莫西林、阿莫西林/棒酸、加替沙星、红霉、素克林霉素、四环素、利福平和头孢噻肟;而对萘啶酮酸、万古霉素和磷霉素的耐药率较高。     

Novel approaches to the nutritional management of the allergic infant

The increased prevalence of atopic diseases, i.e. atopic eczema, allergic rhinitis and asthma, has been described as the epidemic of the 21st century in Western societies. New approaches in the fight against allergic diseases are clearly called for, the target being the persistence of the allergic responder pattern beyond infancy. The advantage afforded by elimination diets lies in the silencing of specific allergic inflammation induced by an offending food. Novel nutritional approaches, beyond the treatment of food allergies, have recently attracted research interest subsequent to the identification of the immunomodulatory potential of specific dietary compounds. Dietary lipids as immunomodulators may prevent allergic sensitization by down-regulating inflammatory response whilst protecting the epithelial barrier. Probiotic bacteria have been shown to reinforce the different lines of gut defence: immune exclusion, immune elimination and immune regulation. On this basis, the strategy against allergic disease proposed here is based on the administration of tolerogenic gut-processed peptide fragments of a specific protein, in addition to the use of specific dietary compounds such as fatty acids and antioxidants, and introducing a microbial stimulus for the immature immune system by means of cultures of beneficial live micro-organisms characteristic of the healthy infant gut microbiota.