Abstract
Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in health and disease. Alteration in its healthy homeostasis may result in the development of numerous liver disorders including complications of liver cirrhosis. On the other hand, restoration and modulation of intestinal flora through the use of probiotics is potentially an emerging therapeutic strategy. There is mounting evidence that probiotics are effective in the treatment of covert and overt hepatic encephalopathy, as well as in the prevention of recurrence of encephalopathy. The beneficial effect of probiotics also extends to liver function in cirrhosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and alcoholic liver disease. On the other hand, data associating probiotics and portal hypertension is scanty and conflicting. Probiotic therapy has also not been shown to prevent primary or secondary spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Larger clinical studies are required before probiotics can be recommended as a treatment modality in liver diseases.
Highlights
Probiotics are defined by the World Health Organisation as live microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts [1]
This review of probiotic use and liver diseases focuses on the following aspects: prevention of infection, hepatic encephalopathy, liver function in cirrhosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, and portal hypertension
Another study produced contrasting results demonstrating that three months of probiotics administration with VSL#3, which is a cocktail of probiotics, was effective in preventing HE in patients with cirrhosis as it significantly reduced levels of arterial ammonia, SIBO, and orocaecal transit time together with increased psychometric hepatic encephalopathy scores, compared with baseline [53]
Summary
Probiotics are defined by the World Health Organisation as live microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts [1]. More than a century ago, Nobel Prize winner Eli Metchnikoff suggested that the long life of Bulgarian peasants was the result of their consumption of fermented milk products [2]. He went on to introduce in his diet sour milk fermented with the bacteria he called “Bulgarian Bacillus” and found his health benefited [3]. This review of probiotic use and liver diseases focuses on the following aspects: prevention of infection, hepatic encephalopathy, liver function in cirrhosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, and portal hypertension
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
