Method of using a probiotic microorganism for the treatment of diarrhea
Disclosed is a method of manipulating the rate of gastrointestinal transit in a mammalian subject. Also disclosed is the use, in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of constipation, of a selective inhibitor of methanogensis, a methanogen-displacing probiotic agent, or a prebiotic agent that inhibits the growth of methanogenic bacteria or promotes the growth of competing non-methanogenic intestinal flora. Alternatively, in accordance with the invention, is disclosed the use in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of diarrhea, of methane or a methane precursor, a methanogenic or other methane-enhancing probiotic agent, or a methanogenesis-enhancing prebiotic agent.
1. A method of treating diarrhea in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
providing a methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism selected from the group consisting of Methanobrevibacter smithii, Bacteroides spp., Clostridium butyricum , and combinations thereof; and
administering the methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism to the subject to slow intestinal transit to treat the diarrhea.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism is the Methanobrevibacter smithii Bacteroides spp. or both.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein after administering the methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism, the methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism enhances the growth of intestinal methanogens.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the microorganism is a Clostridium butyricum.
5. A method of treating diarrhea in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
providing a composition comprising a methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism selected from the group consisting of Methanobrevibacter smithii, Bacteroides spp., Clostridium butyricum , and combinations thereof and a carrier; and
administering the composition to the subject to slow intestinal transit to treat the diarrhea.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism is Methanobrevibacter smithii Bacteroides spp. or both.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein after administering the methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism, the methane-enhancing probiotic microorganism enhances the growth of intestinal methanogens.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the microorganism is a Clostridium butyricum.