A review on the probiotic treatment of Lactobacillus plantarum in mitigating scars / Mohamad Fouzul Mohd Yusoff

Probiotics are sentient microbes, where these living microorganisms can give benefit in health of the host when suitable dosage is administered, highlightedly can mitigate scars. The numerous probiotics that had been used in medical treatment are lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LAB are Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, non-respiring but tolerant toward air, where these bacteria have specific strain in showing their probiotics properties and undergoing different function activities. Lactobacillus plantarum is a widespread member of the LAB that had been used as probiotic microorganism, which shows as a therapeutic agent on treating scars with the presence and absence of infection. L. plantarum can control the production of type I collagen messenger RNA (mRNA) and total collagen protein that needed for promoting scars on the human skin. The wound healing is a progression in skin or organs that happens after injury. This curing process is natural to the body in order to regenerate dermal and epidermal tissue in skin. Scars take a longer time for the wound to successfully undergo the repair process naturally. In relation to this condition, L. plantarum should be applied in treating scars as it not only enhance the curing wound by promoting collagen synthesis, but also accumulate the quantity of fibroblasts and fibrocytes and arised transforming growth factor (TGF-β) level for reducing the risk of infection. This study is initiated with the review on an isolation process of L. plantarum from pickled cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and the identification process of this probiotic with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Additionally, the formulation process of a probiotic-based cream from L. plantarum as a potential scar treatment are also reviewed.