BACKGROUND This study evaluated the benefit of Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 (B. bifidum) in very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants (birthweight <1500 g) for the acceleration of enteral feeding. METHODS A cluster-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 19 hospitals, divided into two groups: the B group (n = 10 hospitals; B. bifidum given to infants within 48 h of bi...

Tartrazine is an azo dye that widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. It also known to have a potential impact on human health. Reports indicate possible carcinogenic mutagenic effects of dye. Joint expert WHO/ FAO committee additives, Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) defined permissible limits for use tartrazine fermented products, including probiotic drinks, yet finds wide usa...

Genome-wide transcriptional analysis in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) can aid in elucidating the impact of single versus multi-strain probiotic combinations on immunological and cellular mechanisms of action. In this study we used human expression microarray chips in an in vitro intestinal epithelial cell model to investigate the impact of three probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus helveticus ...

BACKGROUND Recent research suggests that an imbalance of the intestinal microbiota and a dysfunctional intestinal barrier might trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). As probiotics have been reported to restore the intestinal microbiota and the gut barrier, the therapeutic potential of probiotics within IBS became of strong interest. AIM To assess the efficacy of Bifidobacterium bifidum MIMB...

BACKGROUND The success of the probiotics in delivery of health benefits depends on their ability to withstand the technological and gastrointestinal conditions; hence development of robust cultures is critical to the probiotic industry. Combinations of probiotic cultures have proven to be more effective than the use of single cultures for treatment and prevention of heterogeneous diseases. We i...

The IgG and IgM specific antibodies against a panel of 23 anaerobic gut bacteria were examined in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and healthy controls. Four of the organisms, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Coprococcus comes (ME46), Coprococcus comes (Sp4), and Eubacterium limosum gave abnormal antibody titres in Crohn's disease compared with those of controls. In Crohn's disease specific IgG ant...