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Table 1 The commonly used species in probiotics, mechanisms of action, and effects

From: The potential application of probiotics for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19

Probiotics

Examples

Mechanism

Beneficial health effects

Lactobacillus sp

L acidophilus

L delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus

L casei

L cellobiosis

L fermentum

L curvatus

L returi

L plantarum

L brevis

L lactis

Increasing mucin production via Increased expression of MUC 2

Improved mucosal immune function, mucin secretion, and disease prevention

Adhering to human intestinal cells and balancing intestinal microflora

mproved lactose digestion and decreased diarrhea

Bifidibacterium sp.

B bifidum

B adolescentis

B thermophilum

B animalis

B infantis

B longum

Cytokine production

Blocking proinflammatory

Used in treating rotavirus diarrhea, balancing intestinal microflora, and treating viral diarrhea

Enterococcus sp.

E faecalis

E faecium

Prevention of pathogenic strains from adhering to epithelial cells

Decreased duration of acute diarrhea from gastroenteritis

Streptococcus sp.

S cremoris

S salivarius

S diaacetylactis

S intermedius

Immune modulation by attenuating IL-8 secretion or blocking the degradation of the counter-regulatory factor IκB

Shortening of duration of acute gastroenteritis

Prevention and treatment of C difficile diarrhea and traveler’s diarrhea

Bacillus sp.

B licheniformis

B subtilis

B polyfermenticus

B coagulans

B laterosporus

B polymyxa

B pumilus

B clausii

B cereus var toyoi

Enhanced antibody production

Enhanced phagocytic activity

Used as a prophylactic, and in prevention of GIT infections

Pediococcus sp.

P acidilactici

Blocking proinflammatory molecules

Increasing mucosal immunity

Enhanced immune responses against infectious coccidioidal diseases