This document provides an overview of probiotics, focusing on the bacteria Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. It discusses the history of probiotics, why they are important for human health, examples of foods containing probiotics, and their mechanisms of action. The document also covers commercial probiotic strains, genetically engineered probiotics, prebiotics, and Indian probiotic manufacturers.

1. Probiotics : Bifidobacterium and
Lactobacillus Pinky Sheetal V
M.tech Bioinformatics

2. Presentation Layout
• What are Probiotics?
• The Probiotic history
• Why are Probiotics important for human health?
• Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium
• Foods containing Probiotics
• Mechanism of action
• Features of Probiotics
• Beneficial effects of Probiotics
• Prebiotics- concept, features, mode of action and
applications
• Commercial Probiotic strains
• Genetically engineered Probiotics
• Safety Guidelines
• Status of Probiotics in India
• Indian and global Probiotics manufacturers.

3. What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are defined as live microbes which when administered in adequate
amounts confer a beneficial health effect on the host--- WHO 2002
Lactobacillus species Bifidobacterium species
L. acidophilus B. bifidum
L. casei (rhamnosus) B. longum
L. reuteri B. breve
L. bulgaricus B. infantis
L. plantarum B. lactis
L. johnsonii B. adolescentis
L. lactis Others
Bacillus cereus
Non pathogenic Escherichia coli
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Enterococcus faecalis
Streptococcus thermophilus

4. The Probiotic History
•Ellie Metchnikoff, the first scientist who proposed the therapeutic
use of lactic acid bacteria.
•Lactic acid bacteria were first discovered by
Pasteur in 1857
•Their isolation from rancid milk
was reported in 1878 by Lister.
In 1889 Tissier
discovered
Bifidobacterium
spp.
•The first stable cultures
of Lactobacillus casei
strain Shirota were made
in 1930 by Dr. Minoru
Shirota

5. Why are Probiotics important for Human
health?
Antibiotics Destroy the Problems in
gut micro flora digestion
Alcohol
consumption Problems in
Emergence of absorption of
antibiotic nutrients in the
resistant strains body
Stress
Probiotics

6. Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium
•Acid tolerant
strains: • Saccharolytic organisms
strains:
•Lactic acid as the major •Produce acetic and lactic acids
metabolic end product without generation of CO2
•They are lactic acid bacteria
(LAB)
•Source:
 Raw and fermented dairy products
 Fresh and fermented plant products
The reproductive and intestinal
tracts of humans and other animals.

7. Food containing Probiotics
• Milk
• Soya milk
• Tofu
• Milk products- Sour cream, Butter milk, Yogurt
• Fermented Indian foods like
 Idlis
 Dosas
 Dhoklas
 Vadas
 Kadhi

8. Features of Probiotics
• Non-pathogenic
• Nontoxic
• Resistant to gastric acid
• Adhere to gut epithelial tissue
• Produce antibacterial substances
• It should persist for short periods in the gastro-intestinal tract
• Able to resist the antibacterial mechanisms that operate in the
gut
• Need to avoid the effects of peristalsis, which tend to flush out
bacteria with food
• Resistant to the bile acid

9. Mechanism of action of Probiotics
Production of low-molecular-weight antibacterial substance that inhibits both
gram-positive and gram-negative enteric bacteria
Also use enzymatic mechanisms to modify toxin receptors and block toxin-
mediated pathology
Also prevent colonization of pathogenic microorganisms by competitive
inhibition for microbial adhesion sites

11. Diarrhea
Type of Diarrhea Pathogen Probiotic used
Clostridium difficile Clostridium difficile Lactobacillus GG
diarrhea
Traveler’s diarrhea Enterotoxigenic Saccharomyces boulardii
Escherichia coli
Pediatric diarrhea Campylobacter, Lactobacillus GG and
Salmonellae, Shigellae Bifidobacterium
 The beneficial effect was shown to be accompanied by a greater
immunoglobulin A–antibody secreting response and less rotaviral
shedding in children treated with these agents.

12. Cholesterol assimilation
Mechanism of cholesterol assimilation by Probiotics
Direct Indirect
Inhibiting the de Decreasing the Deconjugating the
novo synthesis of intestinal absorption of cholesterol to bile salts
cholesterol dietary cholesterol
Lactose,
calcium hydroxyl Assimilation Binding Degradation
methyl glutarate,
uric acid,
whey proteins

13. Anticancer effects Increase the susceptibility to colon
cancer by conversion of pre-carcinogens
High animal fat and protein Diet = to carcinogens by the intestinal micro
flora
Enzymes (Glycosidase, B- glucuronidase , azoreductase , and nitroreductase )
Active
Pre-carcinogens carcinogens
Activity of L. acidophilus and L. casei
supplementation in humans helped to
decrease levels of these enzymes.

14. • Lactose- intolerant individuals tolerate yogurt mainly due to the
supply of lactase activity from the lactic acid bacteria present in the
yogurt itself.
• Lactose deficiency leads to calcium malabsorption
• Acidic condition = Calcium absorption is more
• Production of lactic acid by hydrolysis of milk lactose by Probiotics.

15. Allergy
• Degradation/structural modification of antigens.
• Normalization of the properties of aberrant indigenous microbiota.
• Regulation of the secretion of inflammatory mediators.
• Stimulating immune response and reduction of serum IgE levels.
• Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium improve mucosal barrier function.
• Probiotics have been shown to reduce the incidence of childhood eczema.
• Probiotics have been shown to control lactose intolerance.

16. Prebiotics
• A selectively fermented ingredient that allows specific changes, both
in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microflora
that confers benefits upon the host wellbeing and health.
• Prebiotics + Probiotics = Synbiotics
Characteristics of
Prebiotics partially digestible
Non Digestible or Non Absorbable in the small intestine
Well fermented by beneficial bacteria in the gut
Poorly fermented by potentially
pathogenic bacteria in the gut
Poorly fermented by bacteria in the mouth
Frequently used Prebiotics (Non digestible
oligosaccharides NDOs)
Inulin and oligofructose; Galactooligosaccharides; Lactulose

17. Mode of action of Prebiotics
Bifidobacterium
Prebiotics selective medium
Lactobacillus
Carbon and
energy source
Metabolism= short resultant acidic
chain fatty acids intestinal
SCFA environment.
• Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus possess permeases to
initialize these substrates before hydrolyzing and
metabolizing.
• The product being simple sugars are not available to the
pathogenic bacteria as this process is intracellular.

18. Applications of Prebiotics
• Can be consumed as dietary supplements or in functional foods.
• Prebiotic compounds may also be added to animal feed, as an
alternative to antibiotics.
• Reduce carriage of enteric pathogens, thereby preventing
transmission to humans .
• Dietary prebiotics sourced from seaweeds may provide a means to
modulate the intestinal microbiota thereby improving the overall
health of animals and humans.

19. Genetically Engineered Probiotics
• Use of genetically modified Probiotics as TMAU Trimethylaminuria
• A genetically modified Bacteroides ovatus and Xylan in small
amounts to improve as a therapy to animals with colitis.
Benefits of Genetic engineering:
• Strengthen the effects of existing strains
• Create completely new Probiotics. These need not necessarily be
composed only of bacterial products but can also include elements
of regulatory systems or enzymes derived from a foreign—human—
source.
• As vector for vaccines and growth hormones

20. Commercial Probiotic Strains
Probiotic Strain Commercial Product
L. acidophilus LA-5; NCDO 1748
Florastor
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii)
Biocodex (Creswell OR)
L. casei Shirota
Yakult
B. breve strain Yakult
L. johnsonii Lj-1 (same as NCC533 and LC-1
formerly L. acidophilus La-1) Nestlé (Lausanne, Switzerland)
BioGaia Probiotic chewable tablets
L. reuteri ATCC 55730 ("Protectis")
or drops
Streptococcus oralis KJ3 ProBiora3
Streptococcus rattus JH145 Oragenics Inc. (Alachua FL)
Lactobacilli rhamnosus PBO1 EcoVag
Lactobacilli gasseri EB01 Bifodan (Denmark)

21. Safety Guidelines

22. Status of Probiotics in India
• Used as animal feed supplements for cattle, poultry and
piggery.
• Yakult Dannone released their Probiotic drink named Yakult.
• The latest and recent addition to the list of probiotics in India
is ViBact (which is made up of genetically modified Bacillus
mesentricus), which acts as an alternate to B-complex
capsules launched by US Vitamins.
• Probiotic yogurts have been launched by Mother Dairy.

23. Indian and Global Probiotic
manufacturers
• Mirobax – Hyderabad • UAS Laboratories Inc. a
• Unique Biotech – Hyderabad leading Probiotic company,
• Alliance Bioscience Pvt Ltd - was founded by Dr. S.K. Dash
Pondicherry in 1979.
• Agri Life • Shandong Bolylely
SOM Phytopharma (India) Bioengineering Co., Ltd China
Limited – Hyderabad • Danisco
• Ruchi Biochemical's – • Chr. Hansen A of Denmark
Mumbai • Yakult Danone
• Sami Labs Ltd.– Bangalore • US-based VSL
• Tablets India Pharmaceuticals
• Mother Dairy • Alkem Health Foods
( Prebiotics )

24. References
• Martha I. Alvarez-Olmos and Richard A. Oberhelman. Probiotic Agents and Infectious Diseases. Clinical Infectious
Diseases 2001; 32:1567–76.
• V. C. Suvarna* and V. U. Boby. Probiotics in human health: A current assessment. CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 88, NO. 11,
10 JUNE 2005.
• Iradj Sobhani et al. Microbial Dysbiosis in Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Patients. January 2011 | Volume 6 | Issue 1 | e16393.
• David Philippe et al. Bifidobacterium lactis attenuates onset of inflammation in a murine model of colitis. World J
Gastroenterol 2011 January 28; 17(4): 459-469.
• Jana Cinova et al. Role of Intestinal Bacteria in Gliadin-Induced Changes in Intestinal Mucosa: Study in Germ-Free Rats.
PLoS ONE 6(1): e16169. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0016169.
• David O’Mahony et al. Bifidobacterium animalis AHC7 protects against pathogen-induced NF-B activation in vivo. BMC
Immunology 2010, 11:63.
• S. Rerksuppahol et al. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum stored at ambient temperature are
effective in the treatment of acute diarrhea. Annals of Tropical Paediatrics (2010) 30, 299–304.
• Laurie O’Sullivan. Prebiotics from Marine Macroalgae for Human and Animal Health Applications. Mar. Drugs 2010, 8,
2038-2064; doi:10.3390/md8072038.
• John Christodoulou et al. Research Proposal Development of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches to
Trimethylaminuria. March 2009.
• Guidelines for the Evaluation of Probiotics in Food. Report of a Joint FAO/WHO Working Group on Drafting Guidelines
for the Evaluation of Probiotics in Food London Ontario, Canada April 30 and May 1, 2002.
• Jose M Saavedra. Clinical applications of probiotic agents. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73(suppl):1147S–51S.
• Elizabeth Furrie. Probiotics and allergy. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (2005), 64, 465–469.
• http://www.probiotic.org/index.html
• http://nccam.nih.gov/health/probiotics/
• http://www.usprobiotics.org/