[What we gained from a century of investigations of symbiontic intestinal microflora].
Symbiontic microflora prevents contamination of human intestine with foreign microflora; microbial enzymes split cellular tissue, proteins, fat, starch, deconjugate bile acids, synthetize B vitamins, amino acids, cholesterol and other substances. Microbial metabolism products--short-chain fatty acids--stimulate intestinal motility and are effective in some intestinal diseases. Bacterial therapy is able to modulate immune system and suppress chemical signalization of pathogenic microbes. Probiotics and functional nutrition represent a perspective trend in prophylaxis and treatment of human diseases. A criterion of probiotic efficacy is its ability to suppress foreign microflora and maintenance of normal microbial flora of the host. An essential probiotic function--support of normal immune system. In the future, probiotics will be employed in prevention and treatment of many human diseases. New probiotics and other forms of biopreparations should be designed basing on various species of symbiontic intestinal microflora.
D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology