Mechanisms of action of some probiotics

INTRODUCTION

The term probiotic (opposite of antibiotics) is used when we refer to bacteria associated with beneficial effects on humans and animals. It was invented in the early twentieth century by Nobel Prize winner, Eli Metchnikoff, and introduced in his study, the prolongation of Life. (Metchnikoff, 1907).Metchnikoff has shown since 1907 that Lactobacillus bulgaricus is able to eliminate pathogenic bacteria from the intestinal microflora. The actual introduction of the concept belongs to Lilly and Stillwell in 1965, after which probiotics are characterized as "microorganisms that promote growth of other microorganisms (Lilly et al., 1965). In 1974, Parker talks about a food supplement for livestock and improve name of probiotics as "organisms and substances that helps the microbial ecosystem“ (Parker, 1974).Their importance was highlighted by Fuller in 1989 who described probiotics as live microorganisms with beneficial effects on host body, improving intestinal microbial balance (Fuller, 1989).