[The immune-enhancing effects of oral administration of strains bifidobacteria in experiments].

This paper reviews evidence for the immune-enhancing effects of probiotics. The influence of bifidobacteria B. lactis 668 and B. lactis BB12 on the immune functions and the structure of peripheral lymphoid organs in male Wistar rats was investigated after 3 weeks feeding. Rats were oral administrated with bifidobacteria x 10(7) CFU/sm3. The rats of control group had no feeding any probiotics. This is evidence that probiotic bacteria improve host immune function: cell-mediated and humoral immunity in rats. The increased activity of peritoneal macrophages was confirmed by enhancement superoxid anion pro duction that leads to improving unspecific resistance of organism. The immunostimulatory effects of probiotics was also confirmed by morphological investigation of peripheral lymphoid organs.