Probiotics Reduce Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

A series of probiotic studies on mice have presented positive results in protecting newborns from intestinal infections and reducing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), research by Institut Rosell suggests.

The Canadian company will present the work at the 4th Probiotics, Prebiotics & New Foods Congress this month. It looks at the use of the Lacidofil preparation and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of Lp299v in combination with rosehip drink in an animal model of IBD. If the results also hold for humans, the studies point to a potential for probiotics to be used in the direction of colonic surgery, organ transplantation and vascular injury, as well as boosting gut health in newborns.

They also add further backing to the use of probiotics in reducing IBD, which is said to affect about one person in every 500, which equates to over half a million people in the US, and 150,000 people in the UK.

Lacidofil is formulated using Lactobacillus Rosell 52 and Lactobacillus Rosell 11, and previous studies have linked its effectiveness for antibiotic associated diarrhoea and dysbacteriosis, and for reducing lactose intolerance.

Two other studies look at the use of Lp299v and were conducted in Sweden by Lund University's and Malmö University Hospital's Department of Surgery. Both promote a better understanding of the effects of L. plantarum 299v observed in patients, further substantiating the existing evidence of this probiotic strain's effectiveness in helping to maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier, Institut Rosell said.

Strains of the Lp299v bacteria have already been linked to preventing iron deficiency and boosting heart health.

The second study also highlights the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of Lp299v in combination with rosehip drink in an animal model of IBD.

The researchers said that overall disease activity index decreased significantly with the treatments within a week, as compared to untreated control. The study shows the efficacy of Lp299v, either alone or with Rosehip drink, in attenuating inflammation and improving the intestinal barrier function (reduced bacterial translocation in the gut), as well as its antioxidant capacity, they said.

Source:

Press Release, Institut Rosell

Key concepts: probiotics, ibd, colitis