 |
 |
| Lactobacillus F19 Technical Information Results from Clinical Trials |
|
| F19
Instrumental in Preventing Microfloral Disturbances during Antimicrobial Therapy |
|
|
The GI tract normally hosts tens of
billions of bacteria (1 x 1011) per gram of digesta. When an
oral antimicrobial therapeutic regimen is initiated, the antimicrobial
agent cannot differentiate between gut pathogens and normal beneficial
bacteria in the gut. Consequently, these agents can selectively eliminate
portions of the normal gut bacterial populations.
A member of the lincosamide group of antibiotics, clindamycin is excreted in the bile, thereby prompting a high concentration of the drug in the GI tract. This can cause a an ecological disturbance in the gut microflora, significantly reducing the number of anaerobic microorganisms. Sullivan et al (2003) studied the impact of a combination of Lactobacillus F19, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus on the gut microflora during oral clindamycin therapy. In a double-blind study, 24 healthy, adult volunteers were randomized into 2 groups and all received 150 mg of clindamycin orally, 4 times daily for 7 days. The control group received 250mL of a yogurt product twice daily for 14 |
days. The treatment
group consumed a similar product containing 100 million (1 x 108)
cfu's per mL of acombination of Lactobacillus F19, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Thus,
the daily administration of total bacteria equaled 50 billion (5 x 1010)
cfu's. Fecal samples were obtained from all volunteers before and
during the trial. Fecal samples were enumerated for different types of
bacteria. Significant findings from the trial are shown in Figure 7. In the placebo group, both the lactobacilli and the Bacteroides populations were affected by clindamycin therapy. Lactobacilli decreasde 3 log numbers by day 2 of the trial and Bacteroides numbers dropped by 6 logs. In the treatment group, lactobacilli numbers actually increased during clindamycin therapy, eventually decling to pre-trial levels by the end of 21 days (7 days after the last probiotic supplementation). Numbers of Bacteroides remained constant for the treatment group. Thus, Lactobacillus F19 was instrumental in preventing ecological disturbances of the intestinal Bacteroides fragilis-group species during clindamycin administration. |
 Figure 7. Fecal counts of bacteroides and lactobacilli in trial participants. |
|
Medipharm
USA Phone: 1.800.397.568910215 Dennis Dr. Fax: 1.515.254.1356
Des Moines, IA 50322
E-mail:mphinfo@medipharmusa.com