Basic Research Department
Supporting Proprietary Research and Development at its Foundation
The Basic Research Department works to scientifically verify the concept that "a healthy intestinal tract leads to a long life" by elucidating the relation between intestinal bacteria and the physiology of the host, and supports research and development proprietary to Yakult at its foundation by creating product ingredient value in terms of preventive medicine.
Research areas
- The ecology of intestinal microbiota and the influence of constituent bacteria on the host
- The influence of intestinal microbiota on the host's immune function, digestive tract physiology, neurotransmission and endocrine
- Verification of the effectiveness of our products
From the Intestinal Tract to the Entire Body - the Connection between the Intestinal Microbiota and the Health of the Host
The Basic Research Department fulfills its role of supporting the foundation of probiotic research by scientifically verifying the effect that microbes inhabiting the intestines have on the human body from both clinical and non-clinical perspectives. The intestinal tract of a person has approximately 1,000 different species of bacteria inhabiting it, forming a mass called the intestinal microbiota which has a variety of physiological effects on the host. Research on intestinal microbiota has rapidly expanded on an international scale in recent years and it is becoming clear that the influence of the intestinal microbiota on the host is not limited to intestinal diseases, but also include lifestyle diseases, such as cancer, and mental influences.
The Basic Research Department uses a variety of methods such as the latest genetic analysis and intestinal bacteria isolation technology to discover how the type and composition of intestinal bacteria are connected to illness onset and elucidate the functions of intestinal micobiota, including the effects on the health of the host, from the perspective of preventive medicine.
Scientific Verification of "a Healthy Intestinal Tract Leads to a Long Life"
The intestine is also called the "second brain" because it possess a network of nerves that can function without signals from the brain. In addition, the intestines have a special immune system because they are exposed to the external environment. Namely, the intestines take important roles for maintaining life.
We believe that clarifying the relation between this kind of complex and clever system and the intestinal microbiota and probiotics will lead to the scientific verification that a healthy intestinal tract leads to a long life.
The elucidation of the mechanism behind the beneficial action that Yakult's probiotic L. casei strain Shirota has on the human body is an important research topic.
Basic Research Producing Value in Terms of Preventive Medicine Based on Evidence
The Basic Research Department fuses Yakult's long years of research results with the latest life science to proactively work to present and demonstrate the latest, high-quality evidence for probiotics, including Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota and Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult.
We will work to produce a diverse range of new health value through investigations into the new possibilities of probiotics, such as Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota's effect on infection prevention and cancer risk reduction, and the effect of Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult and other bifidobacteria on the intestinal environment.
