Asia Pacific J Clin NutrAsia Pacific J Clin Nutr.docVIP

Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr (1996) 5(1): 53-56 Probiotics and stabilisation of the gut mucosal barrier Salminen S1, Isolauri E2, Salminen E3 1 Dept of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, Finland and Key Centre for Applied and Nutritional Toxicology, RMIT, Melbourne, Australia?2 Dept of Medicine, University of Tampere, Finland?3 Dept of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland Probiotic bacteria are used to treat disturbed intestinal microflora and altered gut permeability which are characteristic to many intestinal disorders. Examples include children with acute rotavirus diarrhoea, subjects with food allergy and patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy. Altered intestinal microflora has been treated by oral intake of probiotic bacteria which are able to survive gastric conditions, colonise the intestine, at least temporarily, by adhering to the intestinal epithelium. Such probiotic microorganisms appear to be promising candidates for the treatment of clinical conditions with abnormal gut microflora and altered gut mucosal barrier functions. Introduction The intestinal epithelium and the normal intestinal microflora represent a barrier to the movement of pathogenic bacteria, antigens and other noxious substances from the gut lumen. Under normal circumstances this barrier is intact and provides normal intestinal function. When either the epithelial cells or the normal microflora are disturbed altered permeability facilitates the invasion of pathogens, foreign antigens and other harmful substances. For future clinical applications and the development of new probiotic bacteria understanding of the mechanisms of this barrier system are essential. Mucosal and microflora defects and disease Intestinal barrier The intestinal mucosa is an important organ of defence providing a barrier against the antigens encountered by the enteric route, and most foreign antigens are excluded by the intestine’s mucosal barrier.1?Apart from th