Background: There is increasing evidence that lactobacilli, having anti-inflammatory activity, may be useful in some diseases, particularly in inflammatory bowel disease.
Objectives: We aimed to study the efficacy of lactobacilli lozenges (INERSAN, VSL Pharmaceuticals, USA) in the management of oral ulcers of Behçet's syndrome.
Patients and methods: Twenty-five patients were studied before, during and after lactobacillus use. All patients had mainly skin-mucosa involvement with fresh oral ulcers and none were using systemic immunosuppressives. The patients chewed on 6 lozenges/day at intervals of 2-3 hours during the time they were awake for 7 days. The number of OU before visit 1 and after 1. and 2. weeks after drug use was the main outcome measure.
Results: Twenty three patients completed the trial. 1 patient left the trial the second day because of nausea and another was a no show at the 2.visit. There was a significant decrease in the mean number of ulcers following treatment, more pronounced among the females, and this decrease continued at least for 1 week after the treatment was stopped. 4/23 patients had side effects with 3 complaining of nausea and 1 of abdominal fullness.
Conclusions: In this pilot and open study Lactobacillus brevis CD2 lozenges seemed to be effective in controlling the OU of BS. Randomized, controlled trials with this seemingly innocuous agent are now needed.