Probiotic may help control Crohn’s disease

French scientists have found that a microbe normally found in the intestines has anti-inflammatory properties, but is present in only low concentrations in many people with the chronic inflammatory intestinal condition Crohn’s disease.

Early tests suggest that the intestinal resident—Faecalibacterium prausnitzii—may be a beneficial probiotic treatment for Crohn’s disease. The researchers describe their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.

Dr. Philippe Langella, at the National Institute for Agricultural Research in Jouy-en-Josas, and his associates measured levels of F. prausnitzii in 21 patients who underwent surgery for active Crohn’s disease. The researchers saw a significantly lower proportion of F. prausnitzii at the time of surgery in those patients who relapsed 6 months later than in those who remained in remission.

The team then performed lab experiments that showed that F. prausnitzii blocked the production of inflammatory factors in blood cells and intestinal cells.

Furthermore, in mice with a condition mimicking Crohn’ disease, giving them F. prausnitzii had a protective effect and dramatically decreased the number of animals that died.

Langella’s team concludes that administering F. prausnitzii “as a candidate probiotic agent appears to be a promising strategy in Crohn’s disease treatment.”

SOURCE: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition, online October 20, 2008.