Potential Action of Lactobacillus Probiotics Against Fungi of the Genus Candida: A Bibliographic Review

Abstract

Background: The use of Lactobacillus probiotics may confer beneficial effects on an individual's health, such as the ability to act against fungi of the genus Candida. There are about 200 species of those yeasts, and they can develop candidiasis infections, which affect about 75% of adult women.

Objective: This study aimed to raise articles that investigated the potential action of several Lactobacillus strains in front of Candida species.

Methods: For this review, 15 articles published between 2015 and 2020 were studied.

Results: The results showed the Lactobacillus species L. paracasei, L. acidophilus, L. helveticus, L. rhamnosus, L. reuteri, and L. gasseri have the potential action to inhibit the growth and quantity of colony-forming units of Candida species in vitro studies. Further, they can reduce the rate of candidiasis recurrence and increase the cure rate, mainly when associated with traditional pharmacotherapy, as observed in vivo studies.

Conclusion: The time of use and the strain of Lactobacillus probiotics can also be determining factors for the efficiency in the treatment against Candida species, suggesting that a long time of use of Lactobacillus probiotics is directly associated with a better result.

Keywords: Candida; Lactobacillus; candidiasis; effects; potential action; probiotics.