title: Gut microbial flora, prebiotics, and probiotics in IBD: their current usage and utility.
abstract: Inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract, whose major forms are represented by Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Their etiology is still unclear, although several factors have been identified as major determinants for induction or relapses. Among these, the role of the "forgotten organ", gut microbiota, has become more appreciated in recent years. The delicate symbiotic relationship between the gut microbiota and the host appears to be lost in IBD. In this perspective, several studies have been conducted to assess the role of prebiotics and probiotics in gut microbiota modulation. This is a minireview aimed to address in an easy format (simple questions-simple answers) some common issues about the theme. An update on the role of selected constituents of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of IBD is presented together with the analysis of the efficacy of gut microbiota modulation by prebiotics and probiotics administration in the management of IBD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology Division, Catholic University of Sacred Hearth, Policlinico "A. Gemelli" Hospital, lgo Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy. francoscaldaferri@libero.it
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scaldaferri
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gerardi
authors.forename: Loris Riccardo
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lopetuso
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Del Zompo
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mangiola
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Boškoski
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petito
authors.forename: Lucrezia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laterza
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cammarota
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gaetani
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sgambato
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D056265:Microbial Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000276:immunology*; D056692:Prebiotics / Q000382:microbiology*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D056692:Prebiotics