title: Effects of probiotic administration upon the composition and enzymatic activity of human fecal microbiota in patients with irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhea.
abstract: In a clinical trial, 10 patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhea were administered the probiotic preparation VSL-3. Preliminary results indicated that administration of VSL-3 improved the clinical picture and changed the composition and biochemistry of fecal microbiota. Titer variations of intestinal bacterial groups were evaluated by culture and PCR techniques. A significant increase in lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and Streptococcus thermophilus was observed as a consequence of probiotic treatment, while enterococci, coliforms, Bacteroides and Clostridium perfringens did not change significantly. The strains Bifidobacterium infantis Y1 and Bifidobacterium breve Y8, included in VSL-3, were specifically detected in feces of patients treated with the probiotic by using strain-specific PCR primers. In addition, fecal beta-galactosidase increased and urease activities decreased as a result of changes in the intestinal microbiota induced by VSL-3 administration.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Bologna, Italy. patbri@alma.unibo.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brigidi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vitali
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Swennen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bazzocchi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Matteuzzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification