The gut microbiota and its homeostasis play a crucial role in human health. However, for some diseases related to the gut microbiota, current traditional medicines can only relieve symptoms, and it is difficult to solve the root causes or even cause side effects like disturbances in the gut microbiota. Increasing clinical studies and evidences have demonstrated that probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics can prevent and treat various diseases, but currently they can only be used as dietary supplements rather than medicines, which restricts the application of probiotics in the field of medicine. Here, this review analyzes the importance of gut microbiota in human health and the current problems of traditional medicines, and systematically summarizes the effectiveness and mechanisms of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics in maintaining health and treating diseases based on animal models and clinical trials. And based on current research outcomes and development trends in this field, the challenges and prospects of their clinical application in maintaining health, alleviating and treating diseases are analyzed. It is hoped to promote the application of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics in disease treatment and open up new frontiers in probiotic research.

Recent studies into the beneficial effects of fermented foods have shown that this class of foods are effective in managing hyperuricemia and gout. In this study, the uric acid (UA) degradation ability of Limosilactobacillus fermentum JL-3 strain, isolated from “Jiangshui” (a fermented Chinese food), was investigated. In vitro results showed that JL-3 strain exhibited high degradation capacity and selectivity toward UA. After oral administration to mice for 15 days, JL-3 colonization was continuously detected in the feces of mice. The UA level in urine of mice fed with JL-3 was similar with the control group mice. And the serum UA level of the former was significantly lower (31.3%) than in the control, further confirmed the UA-lowering effect of JL-3 strain. Limosilactobacillus fermentum JL-3 strain also restored some of the inflammatory markers and oxidative stress indicators (IL-1β, MDA, CRE, blood urea nitrogen) related to hyperuricemia, while the gut microbial diversity results showed that JL-3 could regulate gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by hyperuricemia. Therefore, the probiotic Limosilactobacillus fermentum JL-3 strain is effective in lowering UA levels in mice and could be used as a therapeutic adjunct agent in treating hyperuricemia.