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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2014; 20(27): 8886-8897
Published online Jul 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i27.8886
Published online Jul 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i27.8886
Intestinal microbiota in pathophysiology and management of irritable bowel syndrome
Kang Nyeong Lee, Oh Young Lee, Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul 133-791, South Korea
Author contributions: Lee KN performed the literature review and drafted the paper; Lee OY performed the critical revision of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Oh Young Lee, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, South Korea. leeoy@hanyang.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-2-22908343 Fax: +82-2-22988314
Received: February 9, 2014
Revised: April 2, 2014
Accepted: June 14, 2014
Published online: July 21, 2014
Revised: April 2, 2014
Accepted: June 14, 2014
Published online: July 21, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder with multiple pathophysiology, which is not fully understood. Intestinal microbiota has recently been postulated to be involved in the pathophysiology of IBS. Many studies of IBS focus on investigating the efficacy of modulating the microbiota by probiotics and antibiotics. However, the role of the intestinal microbiota in the pathophysiology and management of IBS is not clear. This review provides the accumulating evidence on it.