Antimicrobial and antimutagenic activity of probiotics

Pojavom, antibiotik-rezistentnih bakterija, koncept probiotika kao prirodnog načina sprječavanja rasta patogenih bakterija postaje vrlo zanimljiv. Probiotici su definirani kao živi mikrobni dodatak hrani koji osigurava povoljan učinak na domaćina, te poboljšava ravnotežu mikroflore njegovog probavnog sustava. U humanoj prehrani najčešće se kao probiotici koriste bakterije Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum. Bifidobacterium longum i kvasac Saccharomyces boulardii. Probiotici proizvode organske kiseline od kojih su octena, mliječna i pirogrožđana u najvećoj količini. Neki istraživači vjeruju da je mliječna kiselina jedina značajna antimikrobna tvar. Prikazana je antimutagena aktivnost octene, maslačne, mliječne i pirogrožđane kiseline koje proizvode probiotici, prema 8 mutagenih ili promutagenih tvari.With the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the concept of probiotics as a natural way of suppressing pathogens has attracted much attention. Probiotics are defined as a "live microbial good supplement, which provide beneficial effects on the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance." Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii are the most commonly organisms used as probiotics in human diet. Probiotic bacteria produce several organic acids with acetic, lactic and pyruvic acid being the major ones. Several researches belive that lactic acid is the only antimicrobial agent of importance. The antimutagenic activity of acetic, butyric, lactic and pyruvic acids, produced by probiotics, versus 8 mutagens or promutagens is reported