TOKYO—New research is further supporting the importance of probiotics for maintaining oral health. According to a new study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Streptococcus salivarius (as BLIS K12™, from Stratum Nutrition) may inhibit the process of invasion of Candida albicans into mucous surfaces or its adhesion to denture acrylic resins by mechanisms not associated with the antimicrobial activity of the bacteriocin (2012;78(7):2190-99).
In vitro inhibition of mycelial growth of C. albicans was determined by plate assay and fluorescence microscopy. Addition of S. salivarius K12 to modified RPMI 1640 culture medium inhibited the adherence of C. albicans to the plastic petri dish in a dose-dependent manner. Preculture of S. salivarius K12 potentiated its inhibitory activity for adherence of C. albicans. Interestingly, S. salivarius K12 was not directly fungicidal but appeared to inhibit Candida adhesion to the substratum by preferentially binding to hyphae rather than yeast. To determine the potentially anti-infective attributes of S. salivarius K12 in oral candidiasis, the probiotic was administered to mice with orally induced candidiasis. Oral treatment with S. salivarius K12 significantly protected the mice from severe candidiasis.
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