Abstract
More than four hundred species of different commensal micro-organisms exist on human mucosal surfaces. The relationship between these micro-organisms and their human host varies from saprophitic, to parasitic, to symbiotic. Two of the most important groups of the beneficial symbiotic bacteria resort under the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which are found in the small intestine and colon, respectively. Loss or disturbance of the normal mucosal microflora may contribute to health problems (e.g. diarrhoea and food allergies), and the therapeutic or prophylactic supplementation of the normal flora is of value in certain gastrointestinal and immunological disturbances. Probiotics are diet supplements which consist of live non-pathogenic micro-organisms, which occur naturally in the gastrointestinal tract and which improve intestinal functions, the microbiological balance, as well as general health when ingested in sufficient quantities. This article discusses mechanisms by which probiotics can enhance the internal milieu, and provides a short summary of important clinical trials on the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of probiotics, as well as possible side-effects. The tremendous increase in research on the topic of natural microflora and probiotics is prompted partially through the commercial potential of probiotics, of which many different types are already commercially available. The article concludes with guidelines for the control of the production and distribution of probiotics as stated by the World Health Organisation and as suggested in South Africa.
Highlights
More than four hundred species of different commensal micro-organisms exist on human mucosal surfaces
Vir die opeenvolgende aantal jare was daar min wetenskaplike belangstelling in die natuurlike mikroflora van die mens
Verskeie faktore het waarskynlik op daardie stadium bygedra om verdere navorsing in die veld te rem, insluitend die twee wêreldoorloë wat basiese navorsing in mikrobiologie feitlik tot stilstand laat kom het, en die ontdekking en grootskaalse produksie van antibiotika wat teen die middel van die twintigste eeu gesien was as die antwoord op alle infektiewe toestande.[3]
Summary
Navorsing het verskeie maniere aangetoon waardeur probiotiese mikroörganismes die liggaam moontlik kan bevoordeel, insluitende a) die onderdrukking van die groei van patogene organismes soos bakterieë, virusse[1,8,9,27,29,30] en fungi soos. Candida albicans,[21,24,27,33,34] b) normalisering van gastroïntestinale funksies soos die vermindering van konstipasie, diarree, winderigheid en abdominale distensie,[1,8,9,27,29,30] c) bevordering van die absorpsie van kalsium en magnesium,[9,35] d) intestinale produksie van vitamine B6 en B12,1,29 e) bevordering van die vertering van laktose,[1,9,29] f) bevordering van die ontwikkeling en maturasie van die spesifieke en nonspesifieke, sowel as algemene mukosale immuunstelsel,[36,37,38] g) neutralisering en die voorkoming van die vorming van karsinogene,[1,35,39] en onderdrukking van inflammatoriese reaksies in die gastroïntestinale kanaal,[37,40,41] h) ’n rol in die instandhouding van die integriteit en motiliteit van die normale intestinale epitelium,[41] i) vermindering in bloedcholesterolvlakke[1,29] en j) ’n rol in die voorkoming en behandeling van voedselallergieë.[42,43,44,45]
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