title: Probiotics: clinics and/or nutrition.
abstract: The primary claim of probiotics is their beneficial influence on the intestinal ecosystem, which, in turn, may provide protection against gastro-intestinal infections. The positive actions on human health include antagonistic activity against pathogens, anti-allergic effects and other effects on the immune system. In recent years, the concept of probiotics evolved from food with beneficial, even if not clearly established, effects on well-being, to the new area of the nutraceuticals or functional foods. This concept was developed further into the biotherapeutics, which are the clinical applications of probiotic microorganisms originally selected for food use. Whereas several of these health claims remain controversial, well-planned clinical trials increasingly support the claims for some carefully selected probiotic strains. Aim of this review is to provide a first attempt to evaluate these two areas of use of probiotics and to draw a borderline between them. Only a more in-depth knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the probiotic effects will allow a clear discrimination between the food use and the clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Catholic University "Sacro Cuore' Piacenza, Italy. morellitpc.unicatt.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morelli
mesh_terms: D001644:Bifidobacterium; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use