Lactic Bacteria and Their Use in the Prevention of Diarrhea

Abstract

The present invention concerns a lactic composition useful for the prevention or treatment of diarrhea such as antibiotic associated diarrhea or “tourista”. The composition according to the invention contains at least a bacterial strain selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus I-1492 Lactobacillus casei and a mixture of thereof.

1 . A composition for prevention or treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhea in a mammal, characterized in that it comprises an effective amount of a  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain, a  Lactobacillus casei  strain and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.  
   
   
       2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition is ingestible.  
   
   
       3 . The composition according to  claim 2 , wherein said composition is a food or a food supplement.  
   
   
       4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain comprises at least strain I-1492 deposited at the CNCM.  
   
   
       5 . The composition according to  claim 4 , further comprising a  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain other than the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  I-1492 deposited at the CNCM.  
   
   
       6 . The composition according to  claim 4 , characterized in that it comprises at least about 50 billions of a population of living and active micro-organisms of the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain up to about 120 days under refrigeration per unit of the composition, where at least about 80% of said micro-organisms are the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  I-1492 deposited a the CNCM.  
   
   
       7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the antibiotic associated diarrhea is caused by a  Clostridium difficile  infection.  
   
   
       8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the mammal is a human.  
   
   
       9 . Use of the composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it is for the prevention of treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhea in a mammal.  
   
   
       10 . The use according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the antibiotic associated diarrhea is caused by a  Clostridium difficile  infection.  
   
   
       11 . The use according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the mammal is a human.  
   
   
       12 . Use of a  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain and a  Lactobacillus casei  strain for the manufacture of a composition for the prevention or treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhea in a mammal.  
   
   
       13 . The use according to  claim 12 , wherein said composition is a food or a food supplement.  
   
   
       14 . The use according to  claim 13 , wherein said composition is a food or a food supplement.  
   
   
       15 . The use according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain is strain I-1492 deposited at the CNCM.  
   
   
       16 . The use according to  claim 15 , further comprising a  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain other than the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  I-1492 deposited at the CNCM.  
   
   
       17 . The use according to  claim 15 , characterized in that it comprises at least about 50 billions of a population of living and active micro-organisms of the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  strain up to about 120 days under refrigeration per unit of the composition, where at least about 80% of said micro-organisms are of the  Lactobacillus acidophilus  I-1492 deposited a the CNCM.  
   
   
       18 . The use according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the antibiotic associated diarrhea is caused by a  Clostridium difficile  infection.  
   
   
       19 . The use according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the mammal is human.  
   
   
       20 . Method of prevention or treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhea, characterized in that it comprises the step of administering to a mammal an effective amount of the composition according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , characterized in that said administration is oral administration.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , characterized in that the oral administration is 49 g/day of the composition for two (20 days and 98 g/day after said two (2) days.  
   
   
       23 . A kit for prevention or treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhea, characterized in that it comprises at least a container containing the composition as defined in  claim 1.