The Effect of Medicinal Plants on Probiotic Bacteria: A Review

Probiotics are one of the functional and useful microorganisms that protect the host against many diseases and are used as live food supplements in food industry. Isolation of new bacteria with probiotic capabilities has expanded the effectiveness of this beneficial group of microorganisms in human and animals’ health. Considering development of pathogenic bacteria and their increasing resistance to antibiotics, the importance of studying probiotics in treatment and prevention of diseases is crucial. Medicinal plants contain natural compounds with low complications, while their combination with probiotics can have more positive and surprising effects on humans and animals’ health. Since the simultaneous use of medicinal plants and probiotics in food industry, including probiotic milk and yogurt products, can prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms; the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of medicinal plants on the performance and function of the probiotic microorganisms.