The probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii upgrades intestinal digestive functions by several mechanisms

Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) is a probiotic yeast largely prescribed in many countries over the world. This probiotic has shown to exhibit therapeutic properties in acute and chronic enterocolopathies, irrita- ble bowel syndrome, antibiotic - associated - diarrhoea and enterotoxigenic Clostridium difficile infections (1) However, the mechanisms of its effects remain largely unknown. The aim of this letter is to propose three com- plementary mechanisms explaining its trophic effects. In human volunteers (2) and growing rats (2), oral adminis- tration of lyophilized preparations of S. boulardii pro- duces trophic intestinal effects including increases in the specific and total activities of sucrase and maltase-glu- coamylase in epithelial cells and in endoluminal fluid, enhanced secretion of s-IgA in intestinal fluid (3) and enhanced synthesis of the secretory component (receptor for polymeric immunoglobulins) in crypt cells (3).