title: Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium in irritable bowel syndrome: symptom responses and relationship to cytokine profiles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the response of symptoms and cytokine ratios in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with ingestion of probiotic preparations containing a lactobacillus or bifidobacterium strain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven subjects with IBS were randomized to receive either Lactobacillus salivarius UCC4331 or Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, each in a dose of 1 x 10 10 live bacterial cells in a malted milk drink, or the malted milk drink alone as placebo for 8 weeks. The cardinal symptoms of IBS were recorded on a daily basis and assessed each week. Quality of life assessment, stool microbiologic studies, and blood sampling for estimation of peripheral blood mononuclear cell release of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12 were performed at the beginning and at the end of the treatment phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all symptoms, with the exception of bowel movement frequency and consistency, those randomized to B infantis 35624 experienced a greater reduction in symptom scores; composite and individual scores for abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating/distention, and bowel movement difficulty were significantly lower than for placebo for those randomized to B infantis 35624 for most weeks of the treatment phase. At baseline, patients with IBS demonstrated an abnormal IL-10/IL-12 ratio, indicative of a proinflammatory, Th-1 state. This ratio was normalized by B infantis 35624 feeding alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B infantis 35624 alleviates symptoms in IBS; this symptomatic response was associated with normalization of the ratio of an anti-inflammatory to a proinflammatory cytokine, suggesting an immune-modulating role for this organism, in this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Mahony
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: Fangyi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Kersang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gerald C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kiely
authors.forename: J Kevin
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Fergus
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shanahan
authors.forename: Eamonn M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Quigley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D019936:Probiotics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines