TWI842161B - Probiotic composition and use thereof for gastrointestinal health care or regulating immunity - Google Patents

Abstract

A probiotic combination, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a group of yeast and a group of lactic acid bacteria, wherein the group of yeast is Kluyveromyces marxianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the group of lactic acid bacteria is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus plantarum, wherein the bacterial count ratio of the group of yeast and the group of lactic acid bacteria is 1:10~100.

Description

Probiotic combination and its use for gastrointestinal health care or immune regulation

The present invention relates to a probiotic combination, and in particular to a probiotic combination and its use in preparing a composition for gastrointestinal health care and immunity enhancement.

Modern people often stay up late or lack sleep due to various reasons, which results in the body not being able to rest and recuperate in time, reducing the efficiency of the immune system, causing immunity to decline, and the body being unable to fight against foreign germs, making it easy to catch a cold, allergies, infections, etc. In addition, free radicals in the body cannot be eliminated in time, so excessive free radicals accumulate, which can easily cause inflammation and premature aging.

The gastrointestinal tract can also be called the most powerful immune organ in the human body. Since there are trillions of intestinal bacteria in the intestines, which are involved in the body's metabolism and absorption, and have a large number of neurons, it is known as the "second brain of the human body." Moreover, according to the 2017 cancer registration report of the National Health Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan, among the top ten causes of death from cancer in Taiwan, the number of people with gastrointestinal tract-related cancers has remained high, and colorectal cancer has long been the champion of the top ten cancers.

In recent years, probiotic products targeting various demands have been continuously appearing on the market. Kefir (Kephir or Kefir, also translated as Kefir, Kefir) is a natural yogurt originating from the Caucasus region and is considered to be the oldest traditional probiotic food. Studies have shown that the bacteria contained in kefir can promote human health, such as reducing the symptoms of lactose intolerance, stimulating the immune system, lowering cholesterol and anti-cancer. However, natural kefir contains many safe edible bacteria that are not currently permitted by regulations. In addition, there is no relevant scientific evidence on the efficacy of the bacteria and their proportions contained in kefir products on the market today. Therefore, it is necessary to develop scientifically based and efficient probiotic products.

In order to solve the above problems, technicians in this field urgently need to develop scientifically based and highly effective probiotic products to benefit the vast population in need.

In view of this, the present invention provides a probiotic combination and provides the use of this probiotic combination for preparing a composition for gastrointestinal health care and enhancing immunity.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is provided, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Kluyveromyces marxianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae , the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides , Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis , Lactobacillus acidophilus , Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus plantarum , and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:10-100.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is provided, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:60.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is used to prepare a composition for enhancing antioxidant capacity, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:10-100. In some embodiments, the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group of the probiotic combination is 1:60.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination improves antioxidant capacity by improving the total antioxidant capacity.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination enhances the antioxidant capacity by increasing sulfur-containing compounds (f-Thiols) and/or GST-RBC.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is used to prepare a composition for enhancing and/or regulating immunity, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:10-100. In some embodiments, the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group of the probiotic combination is 1:60.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination enhances and/or regulates immunity by enhancing the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination enhances and/or regulates immunity by enhancing the phagocytic ability of neutrophils.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination enhances and/or regulates immunity by increasing the concentration of IL-10 in the blood.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination enhances and/or regulates immunity by increasing total glutathione (t-GSH) in the body.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is used to prepare a composition for improving gastrointestinal health, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:10-100. In some embodiments, the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group of the probiotic combination is 1:60.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination improves gastrointestinal health by regulating the gastrointestinal flora.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination improves gastrointestinal health by relieving gastrointestinal discomfort and/or aiding bowel movements.

In some embodiments, the effective dose of the aforementioned composition is 100 mg/day.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned composition is a pharmaceutical composition, a food composition, a beverage composition, or a nutritional supplement composition.

In summary, the probiotic combination of any embodiment can enhance the antioxidant capacity, enhance and/or regulate immunity or improve gastrointestinal health. In other words, the probiotic combination of any embodiment is suitable for preparing a composition for enhancing the antioxidant capacity, enhancing and/or regulating immunity or improving gastrointestinal health. In other words, the aforementioned composition has the function of enhancing the antioxidant capacity, enhancing and/or regulating immunity or improving gastrointestinal health. In some embodiments, the probiotic combination or the composition prepared therefrom also has one or more of the following functions: enhancing total antioxidant capacity, enhancing sulfur-containing compounds (f-Thiols), enhancing GST-RBC, enhancing natural killer cell cytotoxicity, enhancing neutrophil phagocytosis, enhancing blood IL-10 concentration, enhancing total glutathione (t-GSH), regulating gastrointestinal bacteria, relieving gastrointestinal discomfort and helping defecation.

Here, the probiotic combination of any embodiment is obtained by analyzing the flora contained in natural kefir, selecting edible and safe strains listed in positive tables of various countries, and combining the proportions of these edible and safe strains. The probiotic combination of any embodiment is confirmed by simultaneous cell experiments and efficacy verification that the strain ratio used is closest to kefir and has the same or even better efficacy. It is a rare probiotic product on the market with actual and solid scientific research.

Figure 1 is a bar graph of the results of cell experiments relative to the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells.

Figure 2 is a bar graph of the results of cell experiments relative to neutrophil phagocytic capacity.

Figure 3 is a bar graph of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of human body experiments at week 0 and week 4.

Figure 4 is a bar graph showing the results of human experimental studies on glutathione S transferase (GST-RBC) levels at week 0 and week 4.

Figure 5 is a bar graph showing the human body experimental results of the concentration of sulfur compounds (f-Thiols) at week 0 and week 4.

Figure 6 is a bar graph of the human experimental results of IL-10 concentrations at week 0 and week 4.

Figure 7 is a bar graph of the human body experimental results of total glutathione (t-GSH) concentration at week 0 and week 4.

Figure 8 is a bar graph of the human experimental results of TNF-α concentrations at week 0 and week 4.

Figure 9 shows the questionnaire results on the severity of gastrointestinal discomfort at week 0 and week 4.

Figure 10 is a graph showing the questionnaire results on the frequency of bowel movements at week 0 and week 4.

The following will describe some specific implementations of this case. Without departing from the spirit of this case, this case can be implemented in a variety of different forms, and the scope of protection should not be limited to the conditions specifically stated in the specification.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is provided, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Kluyveromyces marxianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae , the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides , Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis , Lactobacillus acidophilus , Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus plantarum , and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:10-100.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is provided, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:60.

In some embodiments, a probiotic combination is provided, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of Marx Kluyveromyces, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The weight ratio of the bacterial powders of Marx Kluyveromyces, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus plantarum in the probiotic combination is 2-6:1-2:1-2:1-2:1-2:1-2:1-2:1-2:1-2. For example, the weight ratio of the bacterial powders of Kluyveromyces marxianus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Leuconostoc intestinalis subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum in the probiotic combination is 4:1:1:1:1:1:1:1.

In some embodiments, Kluyveromyces marxianus is Kluyveromyces marxianus Y03, isolated from milk, deposited in the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 920126, and deposited in DSMZ (German Collection of Microorganisms, Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34088.

In some embodiments, the brewer's yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) is brewing yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae TCI907, which is isolated from the human intestine, deposited in the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 920118, and deposited in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 33480.

In some embodiments, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides is Leuconostoc mesenteroides TCI007, isolated from fig, deposited in Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 910981, and deposited in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 33502.

In some embodiments, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is Lactococcus lactis TCI807, which is isolated from waterfall water, deposited in Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 911080, and deposited in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34085.

In some embodiments, Lactobacillus acidophilus is Lactobacillus acidophilus TCI800, which is isolated from the human intestine, deposited in the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 911078, and deposited in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34084.

In some embodiments, Lactobacillus delbrueckii is Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus TCI808, isolated from the human intestine, deposited in the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 911081, and deposited in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34086.

In some embodiments, Lactobacillus plantarum is Lactobacillus plantarum TCI999, which is isolated from the Chinese ancient medical book "Ancient Chinese Medical Book - Divine Food", deposited in the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 910808, and deposited in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 33106.

In some embodiments, the bacterial powders of Kluyveromyces marxianus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum are all produced by DAJENG Biopharm Co., Ltd.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned bacterial powder preparation process is to prepare a culture medium, sterilize and cool the culture medium, and then plant the aforementioned strains in the culture medium for fermentation culture. After the fermentation culture is completed, ultra-high-speed centrifugation is performed to obtain the fermentation culture strain. The fermentation culture strain is embedded or coated, and then freeze-dried to obtain a freeze-dried strain. Then, the freeze-dried strain is ground and sieved, then packaged and stored in a freezer to obtain bacterial powder.

In some embodiments, the probiotic combination is prepared in a constant temperature and humidity environment, with a preparation temperature <25°C and a humidity <60%. For example, the preparation temperature of the probiotic combination is 23±2°C and the humidity is 50±10%.

In some embodiments, the storage temperature of the bacterial powder and probiotic combination is -18±2℃.

In some embodiments, the mixing time of the bacterial powder is 15 to 20 minutes. Under this mixing time, the bacterial powder can be mixed evenly and the number of live bacteria can be preserved to the greatest extent to obtain the best quality probiotic combination. Since probiotics mainly survive in a facultative anaerobic manner, if the mixing time is too long, it will not only absorb moisture in the air (increase water activity), thereby causing bacterial contamination, but also long-term exposure to oxygen will cause the number of live bacteria to decrease; if the mixing time is too short, the bacterial powder itself has a certain viscosity, and the mixing will be uneven.

In some embodiments, after the bacterial powder is mixed evenly, a sample is taken for testing to confirm that the probiotic combination is free of lumps. If the bacterial powder is not mixed evenly, the final consumer will have different bacterial species when taking a fixed amount of bacterial powder, or even only take a single bacterial species in severe cases. In addition, the lumps of bacterial powder also indicate that the humidity is too high, which is easy to cause bacterial contamination. Therefore, sampling and testing to confirm that the probiotic combination is free of lumps is to ensure that when consumers take a fixed amount of bacterial powder, the bacterial species content is the same, and to ensure that the humidity is not too high, and there is no possibility of bacterial contamination.

In some embodiments, after the bacterial powder is mixed evenly, samples are taken for testing to confirm that the moisture content of the probiotic combination is <5%. Studies have shown that water activity will increase pathogen contamination and even reduce the survival rate of probiotics and their acid production ability. In addition, excessive moisture content will cause the bacterial powder to clump, making it difficult to carry out subsequent factory production processes. Therefore, based on production experience, the moisture content needs to be <5%.

In some embodiments, after the bacterial powder is evenly mixed, a sample is taken for testing to confirm that the heavy metal content of the probiotic combination meets the specifications. The testing method refers to the international standard MOHW Food No1021950329 Announced, and ICP/OES is used for analysis.

In some embodiments, after the bacterial powder is mixed evenly, a sample is taken for testing to confirm that the number of live bacteria in the probiotic combination meets the specifications. The testing method refers to the microbial testing method announced by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration, and the designated culture medium is used to determine the number of aerobic bacteria, Salmonella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and lactic acid bacteria.

In some embodiments, when the probiotic combination is composed of yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora, the probiotic combination has the ability to enhance antioxidant capacity. In other words, when the probiotic combination is administered to an individual, the antioxidant capacity of the individual can be enhanced. Therefore, the probiotic combination is suitable for preparing a composition that enhances antioxidant capacity. At this time, the yeast flora is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria flora is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora of the probiotic combination is 1:10-100. In some embodiments, the bacterial count ratio of the yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora of the probiotic combination is 1:60.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned probiotic combination has the ability to enhance total antioxidant capacity, enhance sulfur compounds (f-Thiols), enhance GST-RBC, or any combination thereof. In other words, when the probiotic combination is administered to an individual, it can enhance total antioxidant capacity, enhance sulfur compounds (f-Thiols), enhance GST-RBC, or any combination thereof. Therefore, the probiotic combination is suitable for preparing a composition that enhances total antioxidant capacity, enhances sulfur compounds (f-Thiols), enhances GST-RBC, or any combination thereof.

In some embodiments, when the probiotic combination is composed of yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora, the probiotic combination has the ability to enhance and/or regulate immunity. In other words, when the probiotic combination is administered to an individual, it can enhance and/or regulate the immunity of the individual. Therefore, the probiotic combination is suitable for preparing a composition that enhances and/or regulates immunity. At this time, the yeast flora is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the lactic acid bacteria flora is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora of the probiotic combination is 1:10-100. In some embodiments, the bacterial count ratio of the yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora of the probiotic combination is 1:60.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned probiotic combination has the ability to enhance the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells, enhance the phagocytic ability of neutrophils, enhance the concentration of IL-10 in the blood, enhance the total glutathione (t-GSH) in the body, or any combination thereof. In other words, when the probiotic combination is administered to an individual, it can enhance the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells, enhance the phagocytic ability of neutrophils, enhance the concentration of IL-10 in the blood, enhance the total glutathione (t-GSH) in the body, or any combination thereof. Therefore, the probiotic combination is suitable for preparing a composition that enhances the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells, enhances the phagocytic ability of neutrophils, enhances the concentration of IL-10 in the blood, enhances the total glutathione (t-GSH) in the body, or any combination thereof.

In some embodiments, when the probiotic combination is composed of yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora, the probiotic combination has the ability to improve gastrointestinal health. In other words, the probiotic combination can improve the gastrointestinal tract of the individual when administered to the individual. Therefore, the probiotic combination is suitable for preparing a composition for improving gastrointestinal health. At this time, the yeast flora is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria flora is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora of the probiotic combination is 1:10-100. In some embodiments, the bacterial count ratio of the yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora of the probiotic combination is 1:60.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned probiotic combination has the ability to regulate gastrointestinal bacteria, relieve gastrointestinal discomfort, help defecation, or any combination thereof. In other words, when the probiotic combination is administered to an individual, it can regulate gastrointestinal bacteria, relieve gastrointestinal discomfort, help defecation, or any combination thereof. Therefore, the probiotic combination is suitable for preparing a composition that regulates gastrointestinal bacteria, relieves gastrointestinal discomfort, helps defecation, or any combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned individual may be a human.

In some embodiments, the effective dose of the aforementioned composition is 100 mg/day.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned probiotic combination has the ability to enhance antioxidant capacity, enhance and/or regulate immunity, or improve gastrointestinal health. Therefore, the aforementioned probiotic combination can be used to prepare a composition that has the ability to enhance antioxidant capacity, enhance and/or regulate immunity, or improve gastrointestinal health.

In some embodiments, the prepared composition may be a pharmaceutical composition, a food composition, a beverage composition, or a nutritional supplement composition.

In some embodiments, when the aforementioned composition is a pharmaceutical composition, the pharmaceutical composition comprises an effective amount of a probiotic composition. The pharmaceutical composition can be manufactured into a dosage form suitable for enteral, parenteral, oral, or topical administration using techniques known to those skilled in the art.

In some embodiments, the enteral or oral dosage form may be, but is not limited to, a tablet, a troche, a lozenge, a pill, a capsule, a dispersible powder or granules, a solution, a suspension, an emulsion, a syrup, an elixir, a slurry, or the like.

In some embodiments, the dosage form for parenteral or topical administration may be, but is not limited to, an injection (e.g., a sterile aqueous solution or dispersion), a sterile powder, an external preparation, or the like.

In some embodiments, the administration of the injection may be, but is not limited to, intraperitoneal injection, subcutaneous injection, intraepidermal injection, intradermal injection, intramuscular injection, intravenous injection or intralesional injection.

In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition containing an effective amount of the probiotic combination may further include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing technology. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be one or more of the following carriers: solvent, buffer, emulsifier, suspending agent, decomposer, disintegrating agent, dispersing agent, binding agent, excipient, stabilizing agent, chelating agent, diluent, gelling agent, preservative, wetting agent, lubricant, absorption delaying agent, liposome and the like. The type and amount of the selected carrier are within the professional knowledge and routine technical scope of those skilled in the art. Among them, the solvent used as a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be water, normal saline, phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or an aqueous solution containing alcohol.

In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition containing an effective amount of the probiotic combination can be made into an external preparation suitable for topical application to the skin using techniques well known to those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to: emulsion, gel, ointment, cream, patch, liniment, powder, aerosol, spray, lotion, serum, paste, foam, drop, suspension, salve and bandage.

In some embodiments, when the aforementioned pharmaceutical composition is an external preparation, the pharmaceutical composition can be prepared by mixing an effective amount of a probiotic composition with a base well known to those skilled in the art.

In some embodiments, the base may include one or more additives selected from the following: water, alcohols, glycols, hydrocarbons (such as petroleum, jelly and white petrolatum), waxes (such as paraffin and yellow wax), preservatives, antioxidants, surfactants, absorption enhancers, stabilizing agents, gelling agents (such as Carbopol® 974P, microcrystalline cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose), active agents. agents, humectants, odor absorbers, fragrances, pH adjusting agents, chelating agents, emulsifiers, occlusive agents, emollients, thickeners, solubilizing agents, penetration enhancers, anti-irritants, colorants and propellants. The selection and amount of these additives are within the professional training and routine skills of those familiar with this technology.

In some embodiments, when the aforementioned composition is a food composition, a beverage composition or a nutritional supplement composition, the food composition, the beverage composition or the nutritional supplement composition contains an effective amount of a probiotic composition. The food composition, the beverage composition or the nutritional supplement composition may be in the form of powder, granules, solution, colloid or paste.

In some embodiments, the food composition, beverage composition or nutritional supplement composition containing the probiotic composition can be a food product or a food additive.

In some embodiments, the food composition, beverage composition or nutritional supplement composition containing the probiotic combination may be beverages, fermented foods, bakery products, health foods or dietary supplements. In some embodiments, the food composition, beverage composition or nutritional supplement composition containing the probiotic combination may further include an adjuvant. For example, the adjuvant may be maltodextrin, apple acid, sucralose, citric acid, fruit flavor, honey flavor, steviol glycoside or a combination thereof. The type and amount of the selected carrier are within the professional training and routine technical scope of those familiar with this technology.

In some embodiments, the food composition, beverage composition or nutritional supplement composition containing the probiotic composition can be a seasoning, sweetener, flavor, pH adjuster, emulsifier, colorant or stabilizer, etc.

In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, the "%" symbol refers to weight percentage.

Unless otherwise specified in the following examples, the experimental steps were performed at room temperature (about 25°C) and atmospheric pressure (1atm).

Example 1: Preparation of bacterial powder

1. Raw materials:

1. Kluyveromyces marxianus , Kluyveromyces marxianus Y03 (this bacterium is deposited in the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 920126, and in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34088).

2. Saccharomyces cerevisiae , brewing yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae TCI907 (this strain is deposited with the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 920118, and deposited with DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 33480).

3. Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides , Leuconostoc mesenteroides TCI007 (this bacterium is deposited in the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 910981, and in DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 33502).

4. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis , Lactococcus lactis TCI807 (this bacterium is deposited with the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 911080, and with DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34085).

5. Lactobacillus acidophilus , Lactobacillus acidophilus TCI800 (this bacterium is deposited with the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 911078, and is deposited with DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34084).

6. Lactobacillus delbrueckii , Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp.Bulgaricus TCI808 (this bacterium is deposited with the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 911081, and with DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 34086).

7. Lactobacillus plantarum , which is Lactobacillus plantarum TCI999 (this bacterium is deposited with the Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan) with the deposit number BCRC 910808, and with DSMZ (Germany) with the deposit number DSM 33106).

8. Culture medium: BD Difco ^TM Lactobacilli MRS Broth, purchased from BD Company.

2. Preparation process:

1. Inoculate 10% of the strains of raw materials 1 to 7 (i.e., Kluyveromyces marxianus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum) into a culture bottle containing a culture medium, and ferment and culture each strain at 37°C for 16-18 hours.

2. After fermentation and cultivation, each strain was subjected to ultra-high speed centrifugation and the supernatant was removed.

3. Embed or coat each strain at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. After embedding or coating, freeze-dry each strain at -80℃ for 24 hours.

5. After freeze-drying, grind each strain and sieve it with a 300 mesh screen, seal it, and store it in a freezer to obtain the bacterial powder of each strain. The bacterial powder of each strain is Kluyveromyces marxianus Y03 bacterial powder, Saccharomyces cerevisiae TCI907 bacterial powder, Leuconostoc mesenteroides TCI007 bacterial powder, Lactococcus lactis TCI807 bacterial powder, Lactobacillus acidophilus TCI800 bacterial powder, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp.Bulgaricus TCI808 bacterial powder, and Lactobacillus plantarum TCI999 bacterial powder. The temperature of the freezer is set at -18±2℃.

Example 2: Preparation of probiotic combination

1. Raw materials:

1. The Kluyveromyces marxianus bacterial powder prepared in Example 1 is Kluyveromyces marxianus Y03 bacterial powder.

2. The brewing yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) powder prepared in Example 1 is brewing yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae TCI907 powder.

3. The Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides bacterial powder prepared in Example 1 is Leuconostoc mesenteroides TCI007 bacterial powder.

4. The Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis bacterial powder prepared in Example 1 is Lactococcus lactis TCI807 bacterial powder.

5. The Lactobacillus acidophilus powder prepared in Example 1 is Lactobacillus acidophilus TCI800 powder.

6. The Lactobacillus delbrueckii powder prepared in Example 1 is Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus TCI808 powder.

7. The Lactobacillus plantarum powder prepared in Example 1 is Lactobacillus plantarum TCI999 powder.

2. Preparation process:

1. The bacterial powders (raw materials 1 to 7, i.e., Saccharomyces cerevisiae powder, Saccharomyces cerevisiae powder, Leuconostoc mesenteroides powder, Lactococcus lactis powder, Lactobacillus acidophilus powder, Lactobacillus bulgaricus powder and Lactobacillus plantarum powder) stored in the freezer were sieved with a 30-mesh screen in a constant temperature and humidity environment (temperature of 23±2℃ and humidity of 50±10%) to obtain bacterial powders with uniform particles. The temperature of the freezer was set at -18±2℃.

2. Add the uniformly granulated bacterial powder into the mixing barrel according to the following weight ratio: Maxim Kluyveromyces: Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Leuconostoc mesenteroides: Lactococcus lactis: Lactobacillus acidophilus: Lactobacillus bulgaricus: Lactobacillus plantarum = 4:1:1:1:1:1:1:1. Among them, the bacterial count ratio of Maxim Kluyveromyces: Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Leuconostoc mesenteroides: Lactococcus lactis: Lactobacillus acidophilus: Lactobacillus bulgaricus: Lactobacillus plantarum is 4:1:100:100:10:1:100. The bacterial counts of the strains added in this embodiment are shown in Table 1.

3. Open the mixing barrel and set the speed, continue stirring and mixing for 15 minutes to obtain a uniformly mixed bacterial powder, which is the probiotic combination of an embodiment.

4. Take samples (probiotic combination) for testing to confirm that the probiotic combination has no agglomeration, and that the moisture content is <5%, heavy metals and viable bacteria counts are within the specifications. Among them, the viable bacteria count meets the specifications when the total lactic acid bacteria count is ≥1x10 ¹⁰ cfu/g, and the total yeast count is ≥1x10 ⁸ cfu/g.

5. After filling the probiotic combination into the aluminum bag, evacuate the aluminum bag, seal it, and move it into the freezer for storage to facilitate subsequent testing. The temperature of the freezer is set at -18±2℃.

Example 3: Natural killer cell killing ability test of probiotic combination

1. Materials and instruments:

1. Cell line: human blood cancer cells, purchased from ATCC (American type culture collection), cell number CRL-3344, hereinafter referred to as K562 cells.

2. Cell culture medium: RPMI (Roswell Park Memorial Institute, purchased from Gibco, product number 22400089), supplemented with 10% FBS (Fetal Bovine Serum, purchased from Gibco, product number 10437-028) and 1% antibiotics (purchased from Gibco, product number 15240-062).

3. Calcein AM, purchased from Thermo, product number C3099.

4. Propidium Iodide, purchased from BD Biosciences, product number 556463.

5. Flow cytometer, purchased from BD, model number Accuri ^TM C6 Plus.

2. Test process:

1. The following test groups are four test groups, namely: blank group, K562 group, control group and experimental group. Each group is repeated three times (that is, each group has three wells).

2. Purify human blood to obtain PBMC (peripheral blood mononuclear cells, containing about 10% natural killer cells), resuspend the PBMC in cell culture medium, add Calcein AM (chromatin volume ratio 1:5000), and let it stand for 5 minutes for staining.

3. After staining, centrifuge the cells to remove the supernatant, then add PBS to wash the cells three to five times to remove excess Calcein AM and obtain the stained PBMC.

4. The stained PBMCs were seeded at 1x10 ⁶ cells per well in the blank, control and experimental wells of a V-bottom 96-well plate.

5. K562 cells were seeded at 5x10 ⁴ cells per well in the wells of the K562 group, control group, and experimental group in a V-bottom 96-well plate.

6. Add 0.0625% (v/v) of the probiotic combination prepared in Example 1 to the wells of the experimental group.

7. Add Propidium Iodide (chromatin volume ratio 1:200) to the wells of the blank group and K562 group, and use flow cytometer analysis to confirm the distribution range of cells in the scatter plot. Select the PBMC and K562 groups in the scatter plot for subsequent experiments to quantify the red fluorescence (PE-A) signal. Here, the red fluorescence signal values of the blank group and K562 group are obtained.

8. Move the control group and the experimental group into the incubator and culture them at 37°C for 6 hours. Then, add Propidium Iodide (chromatin volume ratio 1:200) to the wells of the control group and the experimental group, and analyze and quantify the red fluorescent signal by flow cytometry. Here, the red fluorescent signal values of the control group and the experimental group are obtained.

3. Test results:

The relative natural killer cytotoxicity of all groups was calculated according to the following formula: relative natural killer cytotoxicity (%) = (red fluorescent signal value of each group/red fluorescent signal value of the blank group) × 100%.

The statistically significant differences between the blank group and the other groups and between the control group and the other groups were obtained by student t-test. In the figure, "*" means that the p-value is less than 0.05 compared with the blank group, "**" means that the p-value is less than 0.01 compared with the blank group, and "***" means that the p-value is less than 0.001 compared with the blank group; in the figure, "#" means that the p-value is less than 0.05 compared with the control group, "##" means that the p-value is less than 0.01 compared with the control group, and "###" means that the p-value is less than 0.001 compared with the control group.

Natural killer cells (NK cells) are a natural army in the immune system. They do not need special training. Once they encounter virus-infected cells, they will activate themselves and quickly lyse enemy cells, making it impossible for the virus to survive and replicate in the body. Here, PI/Calcein-AM dye is used with flow cytometry to analyze the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells for 6 hours, and then evaluate whether the probiotic combination has the effect of promoting natural killer cell cytotoxicity against blood cancer cells. Please refer to Figure 1. The natural killer cells in the blank group exist alone and are not treated with samples. Therefore, the test results of the blank group represent the performance of natural killer cells under normal physiological metabolism. Here, when the relative NK cell killing ability of the blank group was set to 100%, the relative NK cell killing ability of the control group was 109%, while the relative NK cell killing ability of the experimental group was 148%. That is to say, compared with the blank group, the NK cells of the control group were co-cultured with K562 cells, and K562 cells were able to induce the killing ability of NK cells, and the relative NK cell killing ability of the control group increased by about 9%; and compared with the blank group, the NK cells of the experimental group were co-cultured with K562 cells, and the probiotic combination was added, and the relative NK cell killing ability of the experimental group was significantly increased by about 48%. Compared with the control group, the natural killer cells of the experimental group were co-cultured with K562 cells and a probiotic combination was added. The relative natural killer cell killing ability of the experimental group was significantly improved by about 39%.

It can be seen that the probiotic combination can significantly enhance the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells and enhance innate immunity. The probiotic combination can significantly enhance the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells, enhance the ability of natural killer cells to kill cancer cells, virus-infected cells, cancerous cells, and aged or stressed cells, and enhance the ability to detect abnormal cells at an early stage and eliminate them, thereby preventing abnormal cells from growing in the body and preventing the formation of cancer.

Example 4: Neutrophil phagocytosis test of probiotic combination

1. Materials and instruments:

1. Cell culture medium: RPMI (Roswell Park Memorial Institute, purchased from Gibco, product number 22400089), supplemented with 10% FBS (Fetal Bovine Serum, purchased from Gibco, product number 10437-028) and 1% antibiotics (purchased from Gibco, product number 15240-062).

2. Fluorescent microparticles, SPHEROTM Fluorescent Yellow Particles, purchased from Spheroteth, product number FH-2052-2.

3. Flow cytometer, purchased from BD, model number Accuri ^TM C6 Plus.

2. Test process:

1. Purify human peripheral blood to obtain neutrophils, and inoculate 1×10 ⁶ cells per well in a 6-well culture plate. Here, the neutrophils are divided into three experimental groups, namely: blank group, control group and experimental group. Each group is repeated three times (that is, each group has three wells).

2. Add 0.0625% (v/v) of the probiotic combination prepared in Example 1 to the wells of the experimental group.

3. After adding 0.5% fluorescent microbeads to the wells of the control group and the experimental group, all groups were cultured at 37°C for 4 hours.

4. After collecting cells from each group, wash the cells with PBS and resuspend the cells with PBS. Then, analyze and quantify the FITC fluorescence signal of each group using flow cytometer. Here, the fluorescence signal value of each group is obtained.

3. Test results:

The relative neutrophil phagocytic ability of all groups was calculated according to the following formula: relative neutrophil phagocytic ability (%) = (fluorescence signal value of each group/fluorescence signal value of the blank group) × 100%.

The statistically significant differences between the measurement results of the blank group and other groups and between the control group and other groups were obtained by Student's t-test statistical analysis. In the figure, "*" represents that the p-value is less than 0.05 compared with the blank group, "**" represents that the p-value is less than 0.01 compared with the blank group, and "***" represents that the p-value is less than 0.001 compared with the blank group; in the figure, "#" represents that the p-value is less than 0.05 compared with the control group, "##" represents that the p-value is less than 0.01 compared with the control group, and "###" represents that the p-value is less than 0.001 compared with the control group.

Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cells in human blood and are the main non-specific action cells. This type of cell can immediately destroy invaders upon detection. In addition to macrophages, it is the most important phagocytic cell after the human body is infected with bacteria. Neutrophils play a very important role in the non-specific immune system. Here, neutrophils were separated from human peripheral blood and reacted with fluorescent particles for 4 hours. The fluorescence performance of neutrophils was analyzed to evaluate whether the probiotic combination has the effect of enhancing the phagocytic ability of neutrophils. Please refer to Figure 2. The neutrophils in the blank group exist alone and are not treated with samples. Therefore, the test results of the blank group represent the performance of neutrophils under normal physiological metabolism. Here, when the relative neutrophil phagocytic ability of the blank group is set to 100%, the relative neutrophil phagocytic ability of the control group is 115.9%, while the relative neutrophil phagocytic ability of the experimental group is 129.7%. In other words, compared with the blank group, the neutrophils in the control group have a certain neutrophil phagocytic ability, and the relative neutrophil phagocytic ability of the control group is significantly increased by about 15.9%; and compared with the blank group, the neutrophils in the experimental group, after adding the probiotic combination, the relative neutrophil phagocytic ability of the experimental group is significantly increased by about 29.7%. Compared with the control group, the neutrophils in the experimental group, after adding the probiotic combination, the relative neutrophil phagocytic ability of the experimental group is significantly increased by about 13.8%.

It can be seen that the probiotic combination can significantly enhance the phagocytic ability of neutrophils, enhance the innate immune ability, and enhance the non-specific immune system. The probiotic combination can significantly enhance the phagocytic ability of neutrophils, as well as enhance the ability to eliminate pathogens and kill bacteria.

Example 5: Human trial of probiotic combination - determination of antioxidant capacity

1. Test process:

Six adult subjects with reduced immunity, gastrointestinal discomfort or constipation were asked to take one probiotic combination capsule (i.e., a capsule containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination prepared in Example 1) daily for 4 consecutive weeks (i.e., 28 days).

The subjects were drawn blood before taking the medicine (week 0) and after taking it for 28 days (week 4) to measure the changes in the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione S transferase (GST-RBC) content and sulfur-containing compounds (f-Thiols) concentration in the blood before and after taking the probiotic combination of one embodiment.

The total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione S transferase (GST-RBC) content and sulfur-containing compound (f-Thiols) concentration in the blood of the subjects in this example were measured by the Liren Laboratory (Taiwan) in accordance with the blood test standards announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

It should be noted that the statistically significant difference between the test results of week 0 and week 4 was obtained by Student's t-test statistical analysis. In the figure, "*" represents the p-value less than 0.05 compared with week 0, "**" represents the p-value less than 0.01 compared with week 0, and "***" represents the p-value less than 0.001 compared with week 0.

2. Test results:

See Figure 3. The TAC of the subjects at Week 0 was about 0.75mmol/L, and the TAC of the subjects at Week 4 increased to about 0.82mmol/L. Here, the relative TAC of the subjects at Week 0 was set to 100%, and the measurement results of the subjects at Week 4 were converted to relative TAC. It can be obtained that the relative TAC of the subjects at Week 4 increased to about 110.1%, an increase of 10.1%. The Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) test measures the overall antioxidant capacity of non-enzyme antioxidants in plasma, which can better reflect the antioxidant capacity of the whole body than measuring a single antioxidant. The higher the measured TAC value, the higher the antioxidant capacity in the body. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can enhance the body's antioxidant capacity and help resist the damage caused by free radicals.

Please refer to Figure 4. The GST-RBC content of the subjects at week 0 was about 6.36U/g-Hb, and the GST-RBC content of the subjects at week 4 increased to about 6.72U/g-Hb. Here, the relative GST-RBC content of the subjects at week 0 was set to 100%, and the measurement results of the subjects at week 4 were converted into relative GST-RBC content. It can be obtained that the relative GST-RBC content of the subjects at week 4 increased to about 105.7%, an increase of 5.7%. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can increase glutathione S transferase, thereby enhancing antioxidant and immune function, reducing hydrogen peroxide in the body to water and oxygen, and reducing lipid peroxides to harmless products, reducing oxidative stress in the body.

Please refer to Figure 5. The f-Thiols concentration of the subjects at week 0 was about 231.8μg/mL, and the f-Thiols concentration of the subjects at week 4 increased to about 257.0μg/mL. Here, the relative f-Thiols concentration of the subjects at week 0 was set to 100%, and the measurement results of the subjects at week 4 were converted into relative f-Thiols concentrations. It can be obtained that the relative f-Thiols concentration of the subjects at week 4 increased to about 110.9%, an increase of 10.9%. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can increase the concentration of sulfur-containing compounds. Sulfur-containing compounds are good antioxidant substances, which are very sensitive to free radicals and can alleviate the damage of reactive oxygen free radicals (ROS). They have the effect of detoxification and strengthening liver function.

Antioxidant capacity can affect the body's immune response, enhance the body's antioxidant capacity, resist various free radical damage to protect the immune system. After taking the probiotic combination of one embodiment for 4 weeks, the subjects' total antioxidant capacity increased by 10.1%. In addition, various antioxidant indicators in the blood (glutathione S transferase and sulfur-containing compounds) increased, with glutathione S transferase and sulfur-containing compounds increasing by 5.7% and 10.9% respectively, indicating that any probiotic combination of any embodiment can enhance the body's antioxidant capacity and help improve immunity.

Example 6: Human Trial of Probiotic Combination - Immunity Test

1. Test process:

Six adult subjects with reduced immunity, gastrointestinal discomfort or constipation were asked to take one probiotic combination capsule (i.e., a capsule containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination prepared in Example 1) daily for 4 consecutive weeks (i.e., 28 days).

The subjects were given blood samples before taking the medicine (week 0) and after taking the medicine for 28 days (week 4) to measure the changes in the blood IL-10 concentration, total glutathione (t-GSH) concentration and TNF- α concentration before and after taking the probiotic combination of one embodiment.

The IL-10 concentration in the blood of the subjects of this example, the total glutathione (t-GSH) concentration in the body, and the TNF- α concentration were measured by Liren Laboratory (Taiwan).

It should be noted that the statistically significant difference between the measurement results of week 0 and week 4 was obtained by Student's t-test statistical analysis. In the figure, "*" represents that the p-value is less than 0.05 when compared with week 0, "**" represents that the p-value is less than 0.01 when compared with week 0, and "***" represents that the p-value is less than 0.001 when compared with week 0.

2. Test results:

Please refer to Figure 6. The IL-10 concentration of the subjects at week 0 was about 0.064pg/mL, and the IL-10 concentration of the subjects at week 4 increased to about 0.196pg/mL, an increase of 206.3%. IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine, which was previously believed to have an immunosuppressive effect. Recent studies have shown that IL-10 can also promote the body's immune response and activate natural killer cells. When IL-10 is present, it can regulate the body's immune response and enhance the killing ability of natural killer cells. It also increases with the increase in IL-10 concentration, indicating that the immunity is more active. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can increase the IL-10 concentration, indicating that it has the effect of regulating immunity.

Please refer to Figure 7. The t-GSH concentration of the subjects at week 0 was about 1384.3 μmol/L, and the t-GSH concentration of the subjects at week 4 increased to about 1609.0 μmol/L. Here, the relative t-GSH concentration of the subjects at week 0 was set to 100%, and the measurement results of the subjects at week 4 were converted into relative t-GSH concentrations. It can be obtained that the relative t-GSH concentration of the subjects at week 4 increased significantly to about 116.2%, a significant increase of 16.2%. To maintain the normal functioning of the immune system, immune cells must be fully activated and differentiated, and GSH can activate lymphocytes, differentiate and proliferate lymphocyte T cells and lymphocyte B cells, and then kill viruses or cancer cells. In addition, existing literature has pointed out that the consumption of GSH will increase the incidence of infection. Further studies have shown that GSH has been proven to effectively inhibit viral replication in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB), and also has beneficial effects on other lung infectious diseases. Therefore, GSH is also considered as one of the adjuvant therapies for COVID-19. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can increase the total glutathione in the body, thereby enhancing immunity.

Please refer to Figure 8. The TNF-α concentration of the subjects at week 0 was about 0.810pg/mL, and the TNF-α concentration of the subjects at week 4 decreased to about 0.253pg/mL, a significant decrease of 68.8%. TNF-α is a pro-inflammatory factor that participates in many inflammatory reactions in the body. The higher the concentration of TNF-α in the blood, the more severe the body's inflammatory reaction. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment has anti-inflammatory potential, and the probiotic combination can reduce the concentration of TNF-α in the blood, thereby reducing the inflammatory reaction in the body.

Example 7: Human Trial of Probiotic Combination - Physical Sensation Questionnaire Survey

1. Test process:

Six adult subjects with reduced immunity, gastrointestinal discomfort or constipation were asked to take one probiotic combination capsule (i.e., a capsule containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination prepared in Example 1) daily for 4 consecutive weeks (i.e., 28 days).

The subjects completed a physical feeling questionnaire survey before starting to take the medicine (week 0) and after taking it for 28 days (week 4). The physical feeling questionnaire survey was a self-assessment of gastrointestinal discomfort, including nausea, bloating, dyspnea and/or burping, and bowel movement frequency.

2. Test results:

Please refer to Figure 9. Figure 9 shows the change in severity of gastrointestinal discomfort of the subjects at week 0 and week 4 after taking the probiotic combination containing an embodiment, and the gastrointestinal discomfort self-assessed by the 6 subjects before taking the probiotic combination of an embodiment (week 0) is regarded as 100%. Among them, gastrointestinal discomfort includes nausea, bloating, and gas and/or hiccups. After the subjects continued to take the probiotic combination for 4 weeks, the severity of their nausea was 90.9%; the severity of their bloating was 95.5%; and the severity of their gas and/or hiccups was 81.8%. In other words, compared to before taking the probiotic combination of an embodiment (week 0), taking the capsules containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination of an embodiment for 4 weeks can reduce the nausea of these subjects by 9.1%; taking the capsules containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination of an embodiment for 4 weeks can reduce the abdominal distension of these subjects by 4.5%; and taking the capsules containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination of an embodiment for 4 weeks can reduce the suffocation and/or belching of these subjects by 18.2%. In other words, the subjects felt that the severity of nausea, bloating, gas and/or hiccups was reduced, and the probiotic combination of one embodiment has the effect of relieving and improving gastrointestinal discomfort. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can reduce the severity of nausea, bloating, gas and/or hiccups felt by the subjects, and has the effect of relieving and improving gastrointestinal discomfort.

Please refer to Figure 10. Figure 10 shows the change in the number of bowel movements of the subjects at week 0 and week 4 after taking the probiotic combination containing an embodiment. The average number of bowel movements self-assessed by the 6 subjects before taking the probiotic combination of an embodiment (week 0) was 4.3 times. After the subjects continued to take it for 4 weeks, their average number of bowel movements was 7 times. In other words, compared with before taking the probiotic combination of an embodiment (week 0), taking the capsule containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination of an embodiment for 4 weeks can increase the average number of bowel movements of these subjects by 2.7 times, an increase of 62.8%. In other words, the severity of the subjects' inability to defecate or constipation has been reduced. It can be seen from this that the probiotic combination of any embodiment has the effect of helping defecation.

Example 8: Human trial of probiotic combination - intestinal bacteria detection

1. Test process:

Six adult subjects with reduced immunity, gastrointestinal discomfort or constipation were asked to take one probiotic combination capsule (i.e., a capsule containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination prepared in Example 1) daily for 4 consecutive weeks (i.e., 28 days).

Sample (feces) collection: The subjects underwent intestinal bacteria testing before taking the drug (week 0) and after taking it for 28 days (week 4). The intestinal bacteria testing was performed by the subjects sticking the clean feces collection bag on the toilet lid to facilitate subsequent sampling. Before the sampling process, the subjects will empty their urine to avoid contamination of the sample, and take an appropriate amount of sample and place it in a sampling tube containing preservation solution, which will then be sent to Tuers Biotechnology Co., Ltd. for sequencing analysis.

The following sequencing analysis process is provided by Turs Biotech Co., Ltd.

Sample sequencing: Based on the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform, paired-end sequencing is used to perform species annotation and abundance analysis through read splicing filtering and OUT (Operational Taxonomic Units) clustering. This not only reveals the species composition of the samples, but also further explores the differences between samples through alpha diversity analysis (Alpha Diversity) and beta diversity analysis (Beta Diversity).

Sample sequencing data analysis:

(a) Sequential data processing

The data of each sample were split from the offline data according to the barcode sequence and PCR amplification primer sequence. After removing the barcode and primer sequences, the reads of each sample were spliced using FLASH (http://ccb.jhu.edu/software/FLASH/) (the minimum overlap length was 10bp; the maximum mismatch rate in the overlap region was 0.1). The spliced sequences were called Raw Tags. The Raw Tags were then quality filtered to obtain Clean Tags, and the chimera sequences were further removed to obtain the final Effective Tags for subsequent analysis. Sequence processing uses Qiime's tag quality control process (http://qiime.org/scripts/split_libraries_fastq.html), and the filtering conditions are as follows: (1) Tag truncation: Raw tags with three consecutive bases Q < 19 are truncated from the first low-quality base site (2) Tag length filtering: After tags are truncated, tags with consecutive high-quality base lengths less than 75% of the tag length are further filtered out. Chimera sequence processing uses UCHIME algorithm (http://www.drive5.com/usearch/manual/uchime_algo.html) and database (Gold Database (16S); http://drive5.com/uchime/uchime_download.html/unite Database (ITS); https://unite.ut.ee/repository.php) to detect chimera sequences. After removing the chimera sequences, the Effective Tags are obtained.

(b) Sample complexity analysis (Alpha Diversity)

Qiime was used to calculate the observed-species, Shannon, Simpson, ACE, Chao1, PD_whole_tree, and Goods_coverage indices. R was used to draw the Rarefaction Curve, Rank Abundance Curve, species accumulation curve, and Alpha diversity group difference analysis. The Alpha diversity index group difference analysis was performed using parametric and non-parametric tests. If there were only two groups, t-test and Wilcoxon test were used. If there were more than two groups, Tukey test and Kruskal test (post-hoc test) were used. The Alpha diversity index description link is as follows:

Calculate the community richness index:

(1)Chao1 estimator

(2)ACE estimator

Calculate the community diversity index:

(1)Shannon index

(2)Simpson index

Sequencing depth index:

(1)Good's coverage

Phylogenetic diversity index:

(1)PD_whole_tree index

2. Test results:

(1) The probiotic combination of any embodiment improves the balance of bacterial phases

Recent studies have shown that the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) is widely considered to have an important impact on maintaining normal intestinal stability. An increase or decrease in the F/B ratio is considered to be an intestinal ecological imbalance, with obesity usually observed in the former and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) observed in the latter. Therefore, when the F/B ratio is closer to 1, the intestinal ecology is more balanced, and vice versa. In other words, when the F/B ratio is closer to 1, the less likely you are to be obese.

Before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), the richness of Firmicutes in the intestinal flora of the six subjects was 31%, the richness of Bacteroidetes was 59%, and the F/B ratio was 0.53. After taking the probiotic combination capsules for 4 weeks, the richness of Firmicutes in the intestinal flora of the subjects was 54%, the richness of Bacteroidetes was 42%, and the F/B ratio was 1.29. In other words, compared with before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), taking capsules containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination for 4 weeks can increase the richness of the Firmicutes in the intestinal flora of these subjects by 23%; taking capsules containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination for 4 weeks can reduce the richness of the Pseudomonas in the intestinal flora of these subjects by 17%, and the F/B ratio is closer to 1, the intestinal ecology is more balanced, the balance of intestinal bacteria is improved, and obesity is less likely.

Among them, the lactic acid bacteria in the probiotic combination belongs to the Firmicutes, which helps to increase short-chain fatty acids in the intestine, provide intestinal cell energy and promote digestive metabolism. The lactic acid bacteria group refers to Leuconostoc intestinalis subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum in the probiotic combination of any embodiment.

(2) The probiotic combination of any embodiment reduces pathogenic bacteria

Proteobacteria is the main phylum of bacteria and is the phylum into which most human pathogens are classified. Therefore, the fewer Proteobacteria there are, the healthier the intestines are, and vice versa.

Before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), the richness of Proteobacteria in the intestinal flora of the 6 subjects was 9%. After taking the probiotic combination capsules for 4 weeks, the richness of Proteobacteria in the intestinal flora of the subjects was 3%. In other words, compared with before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), taking capsules containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination for 4 weeks can reduce the richness of Proteobacteria in the intestinal flora of these subjects by 6%, and the intestines are healthier. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can reduce the richness of Proteobacteria and reduce intestinal pathogens.

(3) The probiotic combination of any embodiment increases the richness of intestinal anti-inflammatory related bacterial communities

Recent studies have shown that Faecalibacterium can produce butyric acid to supply the intestines. Butyric acid is the most preferred and main nutrient source for intestinal epithelial cells. It can maintain normal intestinal metabolism, inhibit intestinal inflammation, help intestinal mucosal repair, and enhance immune regulation.

Before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), the abundance of Clostridium in the intestinal flora of the six subjects was 9.6%. After taking the probiotic combination capsules for 4 weeks, the abundance of Clostridium in the intestinal flora of the subjects was 10.7%. In other words, compared with before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), taking capsules containing 100mg of the probiotic combination for 4 weeks can increase the abundance of Clostridium in the intestinal flora of these subjects, maintain normal intestinal metabolism, inhibit intestinal inflammation, help intestinal mucosal repair, and thus enhance immune regulation ability.

(4) The probiotic combination of any embodiment enhances the diversity of intestinal flora

The more diverse the intestinal flora, the easier it is to stabilize the ecological balance between the flora, and the ecological balance of intestinal flora is closely related to human health. Improving the diversity of intestinal flora species will improve the body's immune regulation ability.

Before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), the intestinal flora diversity of the 6 subjects was 90.4%. After taking the probiotic combination capsules for 4 weeks, the intestinal flora diversity was 92.1%. In other words, compared with before taking the probiotic combination capsules (week 0), taking capsules containing 100 mg of the probiotic combination for 4 weeks can increase the diversity of intestinal flora in these subjects, maintain the ecological balance of intestinal flora, improve the body's immune regulation ability, and thus make the body healthier and improve gastrointestinal health. It can be seen that the probiotic combination of any embodiment can regulate the gastrointestinal flora, enhance the species diversity of the intestinal flora, maintain the ecological balance of the intestinal flora, improve the human body's immune regulation ability, and thus make the human body healthier and improve gastrointestinal health.

In summary, the probiotic combination of any embodiment can prepare a composition that enhances antioxidant capacity, enhances and/or regulates immunity, or improves gastrointestinal health. In other words, the aforementioned composition has the function of enhancing antioxidant capacity, enhancing and/or regulating immunity, or improving gastrointestinal health. In some embodiments, the composition prepared by the probiotic combination also has one or more of the following functions: Enhancing total antioxidant capacity, enhancing sulfur-containing compounds (f-Thiols), enhancing GST-RBC, enhancing natural killer cell cytotoxicity, enhancing neutrophil phagocytosis, enhancing blood IL-10 concentration, enhancing total glutathione (t-GSH) in the body, regulating gastrointestinal bacteria, relieving gastrointestinal discomfort and/or helping defecation.

【Biological material storage】

Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan); November 12, 2011; Deposit number: BCRC 920126.

Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan); October 24, 2019; Deposit Number: BCRC 920118.

Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan); March 27, 2020; Deposit number: BCRC 910981.

Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan); November 12, 2011; Deposit number: BCRC 911080.

Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan); November 12, 2011; Deposit number: BCRC 911078.

Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan); November 12, 2011; Deposit number: BCRC 911081.

Food Industry Development Research Institute (Taiwan); December 13, 2017; Deposit number: BCRC 910808.

Claims (10)

A probiotic combination for preparing a composition for regulating immunity, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Kluyveromyces marxianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:10-100. The use as described in claim 1, wherein the probiotic combination achieves the regulation of immunity by increasing the concentration of IL-10 in the blood. A probiotic combination is used to prepare a composition for improving gastrointestinal health, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of yeast flora and lactic acid bacteria flora, wherein the yeast flora is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria flora is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast flora to the lactic acid bacteria flora is 1:10-100, wherein the probiotic combination achieves the improvement of gastrointestinal health by reducing pathogenic bacteria. The use as described in claim 3, wherein the probiotic combination further improves gastrointestinal health by regulating gastrointestinal flora. The use as described in claim 3, wherein the probiotic combination further improves gastrointestinal health by relieving gastrointestinal discomfort and/or assisting bowel movements. A probiotic combination for preparing an anti-inflammatory composition, wherein the probiotic combination is composed of a yeast group and a lactic acid bacteria group, wherein the yeast group is Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the lactic acid bacteria group is Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacterial count ratio of the yeast group to the lactic acid bacteria group is 1:10-100. The use as described in claim 6, wherein the probiotic combination achieves the anti-inflammatory effect by reducing the concentration of TNF- α in the blood. The use as described in claim 6, wherein the probiotic combination achieves the anti-inflammatory effect by increasing the abundance of anti-inflammatory related bacteria in the intestine. The use as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the effective dose of the composition is 100 mg/day. The use as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical composition, a food composition, a beverage composition or a nutritional supplement composition.

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