Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Description and significance
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) was isolated in 1983 from a healthy human and was indicated to be a strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus by Sherwood Gorbach and Barry Goldin. The "GG" is attributed to the scientists who made this discovery. [1] . L.rhamnosus GG is a probiotic bacteria known for its beneficial effects on the intestinal tract and can also boost a persons immune system and fight against intestinal pathogens. This helpful bacteria is said to balance the microfauna of the gastrointestinal tract. LGG is a unique bacteria because unlike other many other probiotic bacteria which die before reaching the intestine, LGG can survive in highly acidic environments like the stomach and therefore can make it to the intestine. Therefore, Gorbach and Goldin chose LGG as the ideal probiotic after testing thousands of strains for "health promoting" characteristics. [2] It can be taken in orally and then it attaches itself to the gastrointestinal membrane.[3] LGG can stimulate antibody production, enhances phagocytosis (a process in which an immunity cell engulfs foreign invaders), and modifies production of cytokines which are important proteins in the immune response. LGG is also known to decrease the proliferation of carcinogenic elements by other bacteria living in the intestine. [4] In addition, in 2005 LGG was used to treat gastrointestinal carriage of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in patients with kidney problems. [5] L. rhamnosus GG has shown to shorten the duration of rotavirus diarrhoea (Guandalini et. al 2000), relief inflammatory bowel disease (Gupta et. al 2000), and treat and prevent allergies. (Kalliomaki et al. 2001b) LGG can suppress bacterial enzyme activity, while eliminate certain components of the normal intestinal flora which in turn benefits the person. It also produces an antimicrobial substance active against a number of different bacteria that are harmful to humans such as Escherichia coli Salmonella spp., Clostridium spp., Streptococcus spp., and Bacteroides spp. (dog article) Since it has so many positive effects on the human body, it is now available to buy in dairy products or in form of capsules to ingest orally.
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus_rhamnosus
- ↑ http://www.buyprobiotics.net/Culturelle_lactobacillus_GG.shtml
- ↑ National Cancer Institute. NCI Drug Dictionary. http://www.cancer.gov/Templates/drugdictionary.aspx?CdrID=468840
- ↑ Young, Rose. Vitamin Research Products. L. rhamnosus GG, Powerful Probiotic Strenghs Digestion and Immunity. 2009.
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus_rhamnosus