Page 39 - MI-2-3

Microbes & Immunity

REVIEW ARTICLE
Modulating the microbial landscape: A probiotic

odyssey from ancient wisdom to modern
medicine

Edward Brell*

Independent Researcher, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Abstract

The historical journey of probiotics is fascinating, from their ancient roots in fermented
foods to their potential as personalized medicine. This paper honors the pioneers
who paved the path to current advancements. Significant progress has been made in
understanding probiotics, including their mechanisms of action, such as competitive
exclusion and immune modulation. For example, Lactobacillus plantarum has
been shown to improve eczema and the common cold, whereas Bifidobacterium
longum aids in nutrient absorption and fights off harmful organisms. In addition,
Saccharomyces boulardii has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing
antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Probiotics are applied in various fields, including
digestive health, immunity enhancement, and chronic condition management.
This review discusses the applications of probiotics and addresses challenges such
as strain specificity, safety considerations, and regulatory oversights. The future of
probiotics lies in precision medicine, with personalized interventions combined with
*Corresponding author: prebiotics (food for probiotics) to unlock their full potential for enhancing human
Edward Brell
(drbrell@gmail.com) health and well-being. The paper serves as a valuable resource and a gateway for
further research.
Citation: Brell E. Modulating the
microbial landscape: A probiotic
odyssey from ancient wisdom to Keywords: Gut health; Microbiome; Microbiota; Flora; Digestion; Yoghurt; Sauerkraut;
modern medicine. Microbes &
Immunity. 2025;2(3):31-46. Kimchi
doi: 10.36922/mi.6424
Received: November 21, 2024
Revised: February 18, 2025 1. Introduction
Accepted: March 7, 2025 The growing understanding of the human microbiome and its profound impact on
Published online: May 21, 2025 human health has led to a surge of interest in probiotics – live microorganisms that
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). can confer health benefits when administered in adequate amounts, according to the
This is an Open-Access article International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. The degree of interest
1
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution can be gauged by the number of publications. Figure 1 illustrates the trend in the number
License, permitting distribution, of publications, based on a 5-year moving average of articles with “probiotic” in the
and reproduction in any medium, title, retrieved from PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). The number of publications
provided the original work is
properly cited. nearly doubled in the last 5 years, highlighting the growing prominence and relevance
of probiotic research.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Fermented foods have been a staple in human diets for millennia, with evidence of
regard to jurisdictional claims in 2-4
published maps and institutional their consumption dating back to ancient civilizations. These foods are a source of
affiliations. essential nutrients and are believed to possess health benefits. The scientific basis for

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 31 doi: 10.36922/mi.6424