“Old” and “new” probiotics in the treatment of gastroenterological diseases in children and adults: how to increase effectiveness?

Abstract

The purpose of the review is to analyze the real benefits of the use of traditional probiotics and to highlight the issues of the possibility of creating and using new generation probiotics in the treatment of gastroenterological pathology. Questions of effectiveness of therapy with traditional probiotics of functional and organic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in children and adults from the points of view of evidence-based medicine are analyzed, insufficient number of studies in children and frequent absence of significant differences in the effect of probiotics compared to placebo are emphasized. New generation probiotic candidates are described, which could become potential sources of new drugs for various diseases, including gastroenterological pathology. The main problems in the way of creation and introduction of new probiotics are outlined. Data on an alternative approach of probiotic therapy based on use to restore microbiocenosis of own bacteria, which are grown as pure genetically characterized cultures and can be used as probiotic products, are presented.