Table 2 Summary of probiotic preparations

Antibiophilus (Lcr35) (Germania Pharmazeutika GesmbH, Vienna, Austria)

Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus

10⁹ CFU twice daily via nasogastric tube [75]

Ecologic 641 (Winclove Bio Industries, Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

Six different strains of bacteria: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, actobacillus salivarius, Lactococcus lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium lactis (previously classified as Bifidobacterium infantis), plus cornstarch and maltodextrins

Administered twice daily via nasojejunal tube to a total daily dose of 10¹⁰ bacteria [35]

Ergyphilus (Nutergia, Capdenac, France)

Predominantly Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, but also L. casei, L. acidophilus and B. bifidum

One capsule contains 2 × 10¹⁰ lyophilised bacteria. Capsules can be broken and given via enteral feeding tube. Five capsules administered over 24 hours in critically ill patients [53]

Mutaflor (Ardeypharm GmbH, Herdecke, Germany)

Escherichia coli Nissle 1917

2.5×10⁹ to 25×10⁹ bacteria per capsule. Adult dose 1 or 2 capsules per day [97]

Proviva

(Skanemejerier, Malmo, Sweden)

Lactobacillus plantarum 299v and oatmeal

Oatmeal-based drink containing 5×10⁷ CFU/ml. Dose of 500 ml used by McNaught and colleagues [24]

Synbiotic 2000 (Medipharm, Kagerod, Sweden and Des Moines, IA, USA)

A probiotic mixture comprising Pediacoccus pentosaceus 5-33:3, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 77:1, Lactobacillus paracasei ssp., paracasei F19, L. plantarum 2362 plus β-glucan, inulin, pectin and resistant starch

Administered twice daily via feeding tube or orally [32]

Synbiotic 2000 Forte (Medipharm, Kagerod, Sweden and Des Moines, IA, USA)

A probiotic mixture comprising P. pentosaceus 5-33:3, L. mesenteroides 32-77:1, L. paracasei ssp. paracasei 19 and L. plantarum 2362, plus inulin, oat bran, pectin and resistant starch

Sachet for reconstitution containing 10¹⁰ each bacteria plus 10 g prebiotic fibre. Administered in doses of 12 g (1 sachet) per day for a 15-day study period [47]

Trevis (Christen Hansen, Hørsholm, Denmark)

L. acidophilus La5, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, B. lactis Bb-12 and Streptococcus thermophiles

4×10⁹ CFU/capsule. One capsule three times daily [25, 26]

VSL#3 (Ferring Pharmaceuticals, West Drayton, UK)

Four strains of Lactobacillus (L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. plantarum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii), three strains of Bifidobacterium (B. infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve) and one strain of Streptococcus salivarius subsp. Thermophilus

Powder for reconstitution with water or to be mixed with cold foods prior to consumption. One sachet contains 4.5×10¹¹ lactic acid bacteria. Also available as a capsule containing 2.25×10¹¹ bacteria

Adult dose 0.5 to 8 sachets (2 to 32 capsules) per day depending upon disease activity. Six grams once a day for 12 months administered by Venturi and colleagues [13]