Probiotic Formula Eases IBS Symptoms

NEW YORK--A probiotic preparation containing Bifidobacterium infantis (B. infantis 35624) relieved symptoms in patients suffering irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a study published in the March issue of Gastroenterology (www2.gastrojournal.org). In the study (128, 3:541-51), Irish researchers gave 77 IBS patients either B. infantis 35624, Lactobacillus salivarius UCC4331 or placebo for eight weeks, and assessed various IBS symptoms daily. B. infantis better alleviated all symptoms--including abdominal pain, bloating and bowel movement difficulty--than the other treatment. Researchers reported subjects’ proinflammatory, Th-1 state was completely normalized by B. infantis feeding alone. They linked the effect to normalization of the ratio of an anti-inflammatory to a proinflammatory cytokine, suggesting an immune-modulating role for the probiotic strain in IBS patients. In addition, the scientists noted the symptom relief by B. infantis was comparable to effects shown by Zelnorm (tegaserod) and Lotronex (alosetron), two pharmaceuticals recently approved for IBS treatment.