Mechanism and Clinical Application of Probiotics in Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a particularly troublesome intestinal disorder, poses challenges for traditional drug therapy including poor organ specificity, significant side effects and high recurrence rates. With advancements in microbiology and medical technologies, probiotic therapy has emerged as a research focus. It demonstrates potential in IBD treatment through mechanisms such as regulating intestinal flora balance, competitively inhibiting pathogenic bacteria and metabolizing antibacterial substances. Studies indicate probiotics can modulate intestinal immune responses, reduce inflammatory factor release, enhance intestinal barrier function and decrease intestinal permeability, thereby alleviating IBD symptoms. Additionally, specific strains such as Bifidobacterium longum exert definite effects in antioxidation, promoting mucus layer repair and regulating immune pathways. However, the field faces multiple challenges. Standardization of probiotic strain selection, colonization efficiency, dosage and treatment course remains not unified. Future probiotic therapy will move toward personalization and multidisciplinary integration, deepen mechanism research, expand composite functional formulations and achieve dynamic precision intervention via intelligent tools to improve safety and synergy throughout the entire chain of IBD prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. This article systematically reviews two aspects: the mechanisms of action of probiotic therapy for IBD and progress in clinical applications.