Probiotic approaches for targeting inflammatory bowel disease: an update on advances and opportunities in managing the disease

Various commensal enteric and pathogenic bacteria may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), a chronic condition with a pathogenic background that involves both immunogenetic and environmental factors. IBDs comprising of Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, and pauchitis are chronic inflammatory conditions, and known for causing disturbed homeostatic balance among the intestinal immune compartment, gut epithelium and microbiome. An increasing trend of IBDs in incidence, prevalence, and severity has been reported during recent years. Probiotic strains have been reported to manage the IBDs and related pathologies, and hence are current hot topics of research for their potential to manage metabolic diseases as well as various immunopathologies. However, the probiotics industry will need to undergo a transformation, with increased focus on stringent manufacturing guidelines and high-quality clinical trials. This article reviews the present state of art of role of probiotic bacteria in reducing inflammation and strengthening the host immune system with reference to the management of IBDs. We infer that t healthcare will move beyond its prevailing focus on human physiology, and embrace the superorganism as a paradigm to understand and ameliorate IBDs.