Antibiotic-Therapy-Induced Gut Dysbiosis Affecting Gut Microbiota—Brain Axis and Cognition: Restoration by Intake of Probiotics and Synbiotics

Antibiotic therapy through short-term or repeated long-term prescriptions can have several damaging effects on the normal microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract. Changes in microbiota could be multiple including decreased diversity of species in gut microbiota, changed metabolic activity, and the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis in turn can induce antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and recurrent infections caused by Clostridioides difficile. There is also evidence that the use of different chemical classes of antibiotics for the treatment of a variety of ailments can lead to several health issues including gastrointestinal, immunologic, and neurocognitive conditions. This review discusses gut dysbiosis, its symptoms and one important cause, which is antibiotic therapy for the induction of gut dysbiosis. Since the maintenance of good gut health is important for the well-being and functioning of physiological and cognitive activities through the normal gut-microbiota–brain relationship, the condition of dysbiosis is not desirable. Specific therapies are prescribed by medical practitioners for the cure of a variety of ailments, and, if the prescription of antibiotics becomes unavoidable, there is a possibility of the onset of gut dysbiosis as the side or after effects. Therefore, the restoration of imbalanced gut microbiota to its balanced condition becomes necessary. A healthy relationship between gut microbiota and the brain can be achieved with the introduction of probiotic strains into the gut in a practical and consumer-friendly way, such as consumption of food and beverages prepared with the use of characterised probiotic species, fermented foods as the potential biotics, or synbiotic supplements

Clinical Potential of Microbial Strains, Used in Fermentation for Probiotic Food, Beverages and in Synbiotic Supplements, as Psychobiotics for Cognitive Treatment through Gut–Brain Signaling

Pure and viable strains of microorganisms identified and characterized as probiotic strains are used in the fermentation process to prepare probiotic food and beverages. These products are sources of nutrition and help in the maintenance of gut microflora. The intake of food products prepared with the use of probiotic microorganisms and containing their metabolites and whole microbial cells can be considered as a natural formulation of synbiotic products with prebiotic substrates and culture. Other than through the intake of fermented food and beverages, probiotic microorganisms can be taken through a supplement, which is a complementary form prepared by combining separate sources of prebiotic substrates and specific probiotic cultures. Whether a fermented solid food or beverage, both the components in the product are in a synergistic relationship and contribute to several health benefits at a lower cost. The aim of this article is to review the relevant literature and present the outcomes of recent studies which have been conducted to explore the clinical potential of probiotic strains and their effect on psychological conditions. Studies have shown the relationship between gut microbiota and the brain, and their interaction through signaling. The studies have concluded that the gut–brain axis can be manipulated with the intake of probiotic foods or synbiotic supplements containing specific probiotic strains accompanied with their complementary prebiotics for the enhanced sustainability of healthy GIT microflora

The Gut Microbiota Influenced by the Intake of Probiotics and Functional Foods with Prebiotics Can Sustain Wellness and Alleviate Certain Ailments like Gut-Inflammation and Colon-Cancer

The gut microbiota is composed of several microbial strains, with diverse and variable combinations in healthy and sick persons, changing at different stages of life. A healthy balance between host and gut microorganisms must be maintained in order to perform the normal physiological, metabolic, and immune functions and prevent disease development. Disturbances in the balance of the gut microbiota by diverse reasons initiate several health issues and promote the progression of certain diseases. This review is based on published research and reports that describe the role of probiotic microorganisms in the sustainability of health and the alleviation of certain diseases. Information is presented on the GRAS strains that are used as probiotics in the food industry for the production of fermented milk, yogurt, fermented food, functional foods, and probiotic drinks. To maintain a healthy microbiota, probiotic supplements in the form of freeze-dried live cells of probiotic strains are also available in different forms to consumers. The health benefits of lactic acid bacteria and other microorganisms and their role in the control of certain diseases such as gut inflammation, diabetes, and bowel cancer and in the safeguarding of the gut epithelial permeability from the invasion of pathogens are discussed

Dextran of Diverse Molecular-Configurations Used as a Blood-Plasma Substitute, Drug-Delivery Vehicle and Food Additive Biosynthesized by Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus and Weissella

Dextran, a microbial metabolite of diverse molecular configurations, can be biosynthesized employing selected strains of characterized species of bacteria. Dextran molecules are secreted as an extracellular polysaccharide in the culture medium of the bacterial fermentation system. This microbially produced polymer of glucose possesses multi-faceted characteristics such as its solubility in different solvents and formation of dextran solutions of needed viscosity. Several preparations can be formulated for the desired thermal and rheological properties. Due to such multifunctional characteristics, dextran with different structural specifications is a desired polysaccharide for clinical, pharmaceutical, and food industry commercial applications. Dextran and its derivative products with various molecular weights, in a range of high and low, have established their uses in drug delivery and in analytical devices using columns packed with polysaccharide gel. Therefore, being a neutral raw material, the resourcefulness of dextran preparations of different molecular weights and linkages in their polymer configuration is important. For this purpose, several studies have been performed to produce this commercially important polysaccharide under optimized bacterial cultivation processes. This article aims to overview recently published research reports on some significant applications of dextran in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Studies conducted under optimized conditions in fermentation processes for the biosynthesis of dextran of diverse molecular configurations, which are responsible for its multifunctional properties, have been summarized. Concise information has been presented in three separate tables for each group of specific bacterial species employed to obtain this extracellular microbial polysaccharide.Keywords: polysaccharide; dextran; clinical; drug delivery; dextranase; food; pharmaceutical; sucrose; Leuconostoc; Lactobacillus; bacteri

Nutraceutical Combinational Therapy for Diarrhoea Control with Probiotic Beverages from Fermented Fruits, Vegetables and Cereals to Regain Lost Hydration, Nutrition and Gut Microbiota

This article deals with the condition of irregular bowel movements known as diarrhoea, its pathology, symptoms and aetiology. The information has been presented on causes of diarrhoea that include gut infections, food intolerances and allergies to certain ingredients, problems in the gastrointestinal tract like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and, the condition of dysbiosis which occurs due to long-term use of antibiotics, or other medicines, etc. Most cases of diarrhoea can be resolved without needing medical treatment; however, it is still important to avoid dehydration of the body and use some supplements to get necessary nutrients which are lost with frequent bowel movements before they can get absorbed and assimilated in the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotic products are reported as natural therapeutic agents, which can reduce the risk of diarrhoea in both adults and children. The intake of dietary fluid supplements in the form of fermented beverages containing probiotic strains could help in diarrhoea control. The patient would achieve benefits with the consumption of these functional beverages in three ways—by regaining lost fluids to the body, supplementing beneficial gut bacteria to restore diversity in gut microbiota, which was disturbed in the condition of diarrhoea as well as regaining a source of quick nutrition to recoup energy