AccScience Publishing / MI / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/mi.6424
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REVIEW ARTICLE

Modulating the microbial landscape: A probiotic odyssey from ancient wisdom to modern medicine

Edward Brell1*
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1 Independent Researcher, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
MI, 6424 https://doi.org/10.36922/mi.6424
Received: 21 November 2024 | Revised: 18 February 2025 | Accepted: 7 March 2025 | Published online: 21 May 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

The historical journey of probiotics is fascinating, from their ancient roots in fermented foods to their potential as personalized medicine. This paper honors the pioneers who paved the path to current advancements. Significant progress has been made in understanding probiotics, including their mechanisms of action, such as competitive exclusion and immune modulation. For example, Lactobacillus plantarum has been shown to improve eczema and the common cold, whereas Bifidobacterium longum aids in nutrient absorption and fights off harmful organisms. In addition, Saccharomyces boulardii has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Probiotics are applied in various fields, including digestive health, immunity enhancement, and chronic condition management. This review discusses the applications of probiotics and addresses challenges such as strain specificity, safety considerations, and regulatory oversights. The future of probiotics lies in precision medicine, with personalized interventions combined with prebiotics (food for probiotics) to unlock their full potential for enhancing human health and well-being. The paper serves as a valuable resource and a gateway for further research.

Keywords
Gut health
Microbiome
Microbiota
Flora
Digestion
Yoghurt
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The author declares no conflicts of interest.
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