Abiotic, Biotic and Probiotics

1. Abiotic
Abiotic refer to non-living physical and chemical elements in the ecosystem. Abiotic
resources are usually obtained from the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Examples
of abiotic factors are water, air, soil, sunlight, and minerals. Abiotic are three categories:
a) Climatic and physical factors: Air, water, soil and sunlight; rainfall, temperature,
humidity, soil texture and geomorphic conditions.
b) Inorganic substances: There are various nutrient elements and compounds, such as
carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorous, carbon-di-oxide, water, etc. These are involved
in the cycling of materials in the ecosystems.
c) Organic compounds: These are proteins, carbohydrates, lipids substances, etc.

2. Biotic
Biotic are living organisms in the ecosystem. These are obtained from the biosphere and are
capable of reproduction. Examples of biotic factors are animals, birds, plants, fungi, and other
similar organisms. Based on their activity, biotic components are classified into four
categories as:
a) Producers
b) Consumers
c) Transformers
d) Decomposers
a) Producers or autotrophs: They make their own food. Producers, such as plants, make
food through a process called photosynthesis. This food is used by the plant for its own
energy or may be eaten by consumers.
b) Consumers or heterotrophs: They need to eat food that autotrophs have produced. There
are different types of consumers. Herbivores eat plants. Carnivores eat animals.
Omnivores eat both plants and animals.
c) Transformers: They are certain types of bacteria. They attack on materials excreted by
other living organisms (even dead plants and animals). They transform the above into
either organic or inorganic substances. These substances are suitable for the nutrition of
green plants. Transformers help in recycling the nutrients which came as waste already
d) Decomposers are heterotrophs that break down the dead tissue and waste products. They
play a very important role in the ecosystem because they recycle the nutrients. Bacteria
and fungi are the main decomposers.

3. Probiotics
3.1. Definition
According to FAO/WHO (2002), Probiotics are ‘live microorganisms which when
administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host’. The word
‘probiotics’ originates, pro from Latin means for and bios is a Greek word, means life. In
totality ‘for life’.
3.2. Introduction
 WHO introduced this term ‘probiotics’. A Russian scientist, that is a Nobel Prize winner,
Elie Metchnikoff, a good microbiologist. He introduced this term ‘probiotics’, and he
noticed that the people from Bulgaria, who are continuously taking the fermented foods;
they have been reported with the good immunity and good gut microbiota. So the term
th
was introduced at the turn of the 20 century by the great scientist Elie Metchnikoff.
 They are mainly two species. Lacto-bacillus species and Bifidobacterium species. And in
Lacto-bacillus species, many strains are there, who are recommended as safe or grass
strains like lacto-bacillus acidophilus, lacto-bacillus casei, lacto-bacillus reuteri , lacto-
bacillus bulgaricus, lacto-bacillus plantarum, and lacto-bacillus lactis also. In
Bifidobacterium species; bifidobacerium bifidum, bifidobacterium longum,
bifidobacterium infantis, bifidobacterium lactis and bifidobacterium adolescentis . These
are the grass strains, and after so many tests have been conducted regarding their
pathogenicity, safety. After that they have been declared as the safe strains, both lacto-
bacillus and bifidobacterium species.
 Probiotic should have some particular properties, like it should be known pathogenic or
gras that is generally recommended as safe. Acid and bile tolerant and effective adhesion
to the gut lining. This is a very essential characteristic we can say because if they adhere
to the gut lining, only then they are able to multiply. And they will avoid the existence or
interference of the pathogens that cause diseases. Then they should have the short
generation time, and should able to survive the processing conditions like any kind of
temperature, ph and other treatments. Then they should be anti-genotoxic property,
genetically stable, and lactic acid producer. That all characteristics should be their in an
ideal probiotic strain. Then the probiotic attributes. Acid tolerance, bile tolerance and
protoplast regeneration, anti-microbial activity. Because if they are able to produce some
kind of anti-microbial, that inhibit the growth of the pathogens that is desired.
Probiotics are available in market:
 Nestle: Actiplus Probiotic Curd
 Mother Dairy: Flavored biotic yoghurt, Nutrifit probiotic drink, b-active probiotic
curd
 Yakult probiotic drink
 Amul: Probiotic ice-cream, Dahi (Prolife ice-cream), Profile ice-cream, Flavored
biotic yoghurt, Probiotic ice-cream and chocobar
 Heritage Foods: Probiotic curd.
3.3. Who need probiotics?
Everyone can take probiotics or some special kind of persons, they need probiotic. They are
the food. There is no need of the recommendation. But the people who are suffering from the
diahrrea and weak immunity system, they need them. The people suffering from infection,
weak immunity system and respiratory allergies; they can have probiotics. Probiotics are very
useful for persons suffering from inflammatory bowel disorders, constipation and intestinal
infections.
3.4. What is the difference between probiotic and antibiotic?
Probiotics are the live microbes. And when we take probiotics, they will interfere, they will
inhibit the growth of the pathogens and support the growth of the good ones. But antibiotics,
they don’t know which one is the good, which one is the bad. When we’ll take antibiotics,
they will kill all types of the microbiota. And due to disturbance of the microbiota of the
gastro-intestinal tract; it will get destroyed and then it leads to the that is diarrhea and other
problems. Like in case of antibiotics it will destroy the microflora; all the microflora and then
problem of digestion will take place.
3.5. Mechanism of action of the probiotics
These probiotics works in many ways. Like many aspects are there:
i. First mechanism
Probiotic get colonization to the gut lining. Means when we take any probiotic food,
the probiotic micro-organisms, they adhere to the membrane, and colonization will
take place. And when pathogens will enter inside the body, they will not allow them
to enter and inhibit their growth also. This is the one type of working or the
mechanism of action of the probiotic.
ii. Second mechanism
Probiotics compete with the nutrients also. They utilize the essential nutrients like
proteins, fats which are required for the growth of the pathogens. And they exhaust
and make that particular medium deficient, so that the pathogens, they pathogens
can’t be able to utilize the nutrients.
iii. Third mechanism
Working of the probiotics is that they produce some kind of inhibitory substances like
hydrogen peroxide and bacteriosis. The hydrogen peroxide, it is very harmful. It will
not allow the growth of the E. coli. And similarly they produce such kind of inhibitory
substances; bacteriocines and other acids, which inhibit the growth of pathogens.
iv. Fourth mechanism
Probiotics degrades the toxic receptors. Also probiotics produce inhibitory substances
and give antigenotoxic and antimutagenic effects.
3.6. Prebiotics
Prebiotics are the food for the probiotics. They are the non-digestible, but fermentable
oligosaccharides, that are specially designed to change the composition and activity of the
intestinal microbiota with prospect to promote the health of the host. Example: Inulin
(Chicory root is the main source of inulin).
3.6.1 Functions of prebiotics
 Prebiotics maintain the optimal pH in the intestine, because pH is very important for the
survival of the probiotics.
 Prebiotics stimulate immune system, because they enhance the growth or stimulate the
growth of the probiotics.
 They also reduce the formation of gases.
 Prebiotics stimulate the growth and reproduction of the useful microflora.
 3.7. Synbiotic
Synbiotic is a combo word of probiotic and prebiotic. And ‘syn’ means synergistic one.
They support the growth of the probiotics. Synbiotic term is used when a product contain
both probiotics and prebiotics. Example: bifidobacteria and FOS.
3.8. Beneficial Effects of Probiotics
Probiotics have many benefits, like
• Improve tolerance of lactose, like people who are lactose intolerant. They improve
the lactose intolerance
• Then protection from the gastro-enteritis
• Reduce the toxins because toxins are harmful or to the human beings
• Reduce cholesterol
• Probiotics help in the synthesis of vitamins
• Reduce the irritable bowel syndrome
• Improve the digestion and gut function
• Avoid the food allergy
• Enhance the mineral bio-availability
3.9. Role of probiotics in heart disease prevention
• They assimilate the cholesterol by the bacterial cells.
• Deconjugation of bile salts by bacterial acid hydrolyses.
• Cholesterol binding to the bacterial cell walls.
• And also reduction of hepatic cholesterol synthesis.
• And redistribution of cholesterol from plasma to liver.
• Then bacterial production of short chain fatty acids.