Probiotics could be used to protect critically ill patients from developing pneumonia, according to scientists.
The friendly bacteria can block the colonisation by dangerous bugs of the airways of ventilated patients, the Swedish study concluded.
The probiotic solution performed just as well as normal antiseptics used to keep pneumonia-causing bacteria at bay, the journal Critical Care reported.
Being more natural it could pose fewer side effects, the authors said
Active hexose correlated compound acts as a prebiotic and is antiinflammatory in rats with hapten-induced colitis.
Daddaoua A, Martínez-Plata E, López-Posadas R, Vieites JM, González M, Requena P, Zarzuelo A, Suárez MD, de Medina FS, Martínez-Augustin O.
J Nutr. 2007 May;137(5):1222-8.
PMID: 17449585