Scientific use of probiotics, postbiotics, prebiotics, paraprobiotics and synbiotics can be safe and alternative strategy against microbial infections, particularly in the ongoing and post-pandemic situation. Probiotics are known to promote heath by stimulating native gut microbiota, host immunity, cholesterol reduction and several other functions, whereas their metabolites such as bacteriocins, lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, also known as postbiotics, secreted by these microorganisms can be of immense importance as antimicrobials against a broad range of pathogenic bacteria. A relatively new form of product has been discovered to replace the live probiotics by inactivated or heat-killed probiotic cells known as paraprobiotics. It has shown potent applications for the treatment of several diseases including viral infections. Prebiotics are generally food ingredients which not only promote the growth of probiotic microorganisms present in the human gut, but also stimulate the immune system. Moreover, use of fermented foods, the natural habitat of probiotic bacteria, is of immense importance which eventually helps in the better treatment of several diseases, including gut related disorders.
Health benefits and therapeutic potentials
The importance of probiotics for human health has been established since long past. But study on the role of prebiotics, synbiotics and other derivatives is still at nascent stage. Looking at the current scenario of pandemics, the emphasis has been given on antimicrobial potential of probiotics against pathogenic microorganisms and host immunity. Interestingly, gut microbiota (GM) has been proposed as a “forgotten organ” which is tirelessly involved with other organs in establishing a bi- or multidirectional communications is also discussed in addition to cancer. Therefore, the roles of probiotics in modulation of host immune system and gut microbiota, treatment of infection, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and cancer have been elaborated.
Conclusions and future perspectives
Probiotic bacteria positively affect the human health by stimulating immune system and inhibition of pathogens. Due to their multifarious health benefits, there has been a significant interest in probiotics and prebiotics in healthcare and consumer products. However, an extensive study data is limited to a few probiotics and prebiotics. Various clinical studies have supported the role of probiotics and prebiotics alone and in combination (synbiotics) with each other in the treatment and prevention a large number of life-threatening diseases including cancer, HIV infection, gut diseases and many more. There are sufficient evidences that probiotics and their derivatives may also pay significant role in the management of COVID19. Therefore, an utmost need of an hour is to clinically validate some more probiotics and prebiotics along with synbiotics for human health and therapeutic applications. Modern techniques based on molecular biology, genetic engineering, system biology, multiomics, nanotechnology and immunology must be utilized for thorough understanding of structure and function of microbiome with respect to probiotics and prebiotics. These studies will help in understanding the interaction among human body functions and microbiome. Therefore, scientists from different fields (academic institutions, clinicians and industries) should come together and join hands in this direction through a collaborative translational research attempting to directly relate insights from the lab to the manufacturers, the consumers and the clinicians.
prepared by: Nazila Kassaian
References
Yadav MK, Kumari I, Singh B, Sharma KK, Tiwari SK. Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotic: Safe options for next-generation therapeutics. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2022 Jan 11:1-7.
Gayathri D, Vasudha M, Prashantkumar CS. Gut-Brain Axis: Probiotic Interactions and Implications for Human Mental Health. InMicrobiome-Gut-Brain Axis 2022 (pp. 261-280).
Samtiya M, Dhewa T, Puniya AK. Probiotic Mechanism to Modulate the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). InMicrobiome-Gut-Brain Axis 2022 (pp. 237-259).
