Submitted: February 12, 2009

AANP 2009

ABSTRACT SUBMISSON

Contact:
Penny Gregorio
490 Elgin Mills Road East, Toronto, Ontario
905-508-2050 ext. 2233
pgregorio@seroyal.com

Speaker:
Dr. Nigel Plummer PhD
3 Christchurch Road, Unit 3, South Wales, UK
Tel: 011441-639-825100
Fax: 011441-639-825101
nigelp@cultech.co.uk

Oral Presentation – 90 minutes in length (60 minutes if breakfast presentation)

I. TITLE

The Probiotic Trail: A Program of Systematic Evidence Accumulated for a Probiotic

Consortium

II. DESCRIPTION

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which when administered in sufficient amounts confer a
health benefit on the host. Originally the benefits were believed to be related to improvements in the
intestinal microbial balance but evidence is growing to support the influence of immune function
modulation on the beneficial effects.

III. FULL ABSTRACT

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which when administered in sufficient amounts confer a
health benefit on the host. Originally the benefits were believed to be related to improvements in the
intestinal microbial balance but evidence is growing to support the influence of immune function
modulation on the beneficial effects. Mechanisms for these effects include competitive exclusion of
pathogens by the probiotic organisms together with secretion of antimicrobial substances and toxin
neutralization. Hence, the primary clinical interest focused on prevention and treatment of
gastrointestinal infections and antibiotic associated diarrhea. The LAB4 probiotic consortium comprising
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria spp. has been shown in randomized controlled clinical trials to minimize
disruption to the gastrointestinal microbiota in response to antibiotics (1) whilst preventing the
establishment of antibiotic resistant bacteria post therapy (2). The same microbial consortium in a double
blind placebo controlled study with elderly patients receiving antibiotics caused a reduction in
Clostridium difficile toxin production and associated diarrhea (3). In addition to the influence of
probiotics on the composition of the gastrointestinal flora, the immunomodulatory effects have been
directed towards the alleviation of intestinal inflammation such as that associated with inflammatory
bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and food intolerances/allergies. A recent double blind
randomized placebo controlled clinical trial has demonstrated that the same LAB4 consortium
significantly improved the Symptom Severity Score among IBS sufferers over an 8 week intervention
period (4). This platform of evidence for the LAB4 probiotic consortium, together with similar data from
other products, will pave the way for the introduction of probiotics into mainstream medicine within the
next 10 years.

IV. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

(a) provide a comprehensive background of the effects of probiotics in clinical applications

(b) introduce a full explanation of the potential modes of action of probiotics
(c) provide the practitioner with evidence of the effects of probiotics that can be applied to every
day practice for the prevention and treatment of a number of known syndromes.

V. RESEARCH RELATED RESEARCH

(1) Madden et al (2005) Int Immunopharmacol 5 1091-7

(2) Plummer et al (2005) Int J Antimicrob Agents 26 69-74
(3) Plummer et al (2004) Int Microbiol 7 59-62
(4) Williams et al (2008) Aliment Pharmacol Ther 29 97-103

CONTACT INFORMATION

Sponsor contact for this application:

Seroyal, 490 Elgin Mills Road East, Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada
1-905-508-2050 ext. 2233.
Contact: Penny Gregorio at pgregorio@seroyal.com

Nigel Plummer PhD

3 Christchurch Road, Unit 3, South Wales, UK
Tel: 011441-639-825100 Fax: 011441-639-825101
nigelp@cultech.co.uk or laurag@cultech.co.uk

Pharmacy: limited
Target audience: Physicians, medical practitioners, Obstetricians and midwives, Chinese and Eastern
medicine practitioners, Homeopaths, Nutritionists, herbalists, botanists, Researchers and scientists,
Educators, Students
Presentation should be submitted for CE credits

BIO

Dr. Nigel Plummer Ph.D has his doctorate in microbial physiology from the University of Surrey
(London) and has worked at Pfizer in antibiotic research and development. His research on the use of
normal flora in the prevention and treatment of genito-urinary candidiasis has won him numerous
awards. Dr. Plummer continues his solid commitment to research throughout his career in collaboration
with research institutes and universities within the UK and Europe, developing an extensive knowledge
specializing in probiotics, natural antimicrobials and fish oils.
Dr. Plummer’s research involves the role of probiotics in:
 modulation of the gastrointestinal microbiota and the prevention of antibiotic resistance post
antibiotic therapy
 prevention of Clostridium difficile diarrhoeal infections
 the control of IBS symptoms
 prevention of allergy – modulation of the neonatal intestinal microbiota to minimize the
incidence of atopic eczema and subsequent asthma development.