International audienceProbiotics and prebiotics play an important role in human nutrition. In recent years there has been a significant increase in research on the characterization and verification potential health benefits associated with the use of probiotic and prebiotic. The main effects attributed to selected probiotics/prebiotic products have been proved by clinical trials, while others have been acquired on the basis of in vitro tests which require in vivo transposition in order to be validated. The main clinical reports in the literature for the application of probiotic have been done for the treatment of infectious diseases including viral, bacterial or antibiotic associated diarrhoea, relief of chronic bowel inflammatory diseases, immuno-modulation, lowering of serum cholesterol, decreased risk of colon cancer, improve lactose digestion, reduce allergies, and effect on intestinal microbiota. Although the large investigation for the health benefits, information on probiotic species, a specific strain-therapeutic application, and sufficient dosages, is not sufficiently studied to allow practical and rational consumption. Moreover, prebiotic oligosaccharides although provided curative and nutritional values, they are poorly understood in regard to their origin, the processes employed to generate them, their fermentation profiles, and dosages required for health effects. The present review summarizes guidelines reported on the literature in regard to clinician or therapeutic trials of probiotic and prebiotic

A limited number of antibiotics can be used against Helicobacter pylori infection, and resistance jeopardizes the success of treatment. Therefore, a search for new agents is warranted. The use of probiotics to enhance gastrointestinal health has been proposed for many years, but the scientific basis of the prophylactic and therapeutic actions of probiotics has not yet been clearly delineated. Probiotic strain Bacillus subtilis 3, whose safety has previously been demonstrated, is known to have antagonistic properties against species of the family Enterobacteriaceae . In the present study, it was also found to inhibit H. pylori . The anti- H. pylori activity present in the cell-free supernatant was not related to pH or organic acid concentration. It was heat stable and protease insensitive. At least two antibiotics, detected by thin-layer chromatography ( R _f values, 0.47 and 0.85, respectively) and confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis, were found to be responsible for this anti- H. pylori activity. All H. pylori strains tested were sensitive to both compounds. One of these compounds was identified as amicoumacin A, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties. MICs for H. pylori determined in solid and liquid media ranged between 1.7 and 6.8 μg/ml and 0.75 and 2.5 μg/ml, respectively. The underestimation of MICs determined in solid medium may be due to physicochemical instability of the antibiotic under these test conditions. An additive effect between amicoumacin A and the nonamicoumacin antibiotic against H. pylori was demonstrated.