Saccharomyces boulardii

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Saccharomyces boulardii is a tropical strain of yeast first isolated from lychee and mangosteen fruit in 1923 by French scientist Henri Boulard. It is related to, but distinct from, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Brewer's or Baker's yeast) in several taxonomic, metabolic, and genetic properties.

S. boulardii has been shown to maintain and restore the natural flora in the large and small gastrointestinal tract; it is classified as a probiotic. Boulard first isolated the yeast from the fruit after he observed natives of Southeast Asia chew on the skin of lychee and mangosteen in an attempt to control the symptoms of cholera.

[edit] Medical uses

There is evidence for the use of S. boulardii in the treatment of the following indications: acute diarrhea (gastroenteritis), chronic diarrhea, recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). There is also evidence for its use in the prophylactic treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (pseudomembranous colitis) and travelers' diarrhea.