Scientists have found a new approach that combines antibiotics with a protective antidote to reduce their harmful side effects without compromising the efficiency of the drugs. The study, published in the journal Nature, analysed the effects of 144 different antibiotics on the abundance of the most common gut bacteria.
Presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark from April 15-18, the research offers novel insights into reducing the adverse effects of antibiotic treatment on the gut microbiome.
“The scientists identified a novel approach that combines antibiotics with a protective antidote to help keep the gut microbiome healthy and reduce the harmful side effects of antibiotics without compromising their efficiency,” said Ulrike Lober, of the Max-Delbruck-Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany.
“Despite our promising findings, further research is needed to identify optimum and personalized combinations of antidote drugs and to exclude any potential long-term effects on the gut microbiome,” Lober said.
The trillions of microorganisms in the human gut profoundly impact health by aiding digestion, providing nutrients and metabolites, and working with the immune system to fend off harmful bacteria and viruses.
Antibiotics can damage these microbial communities, resulting in an imbalance that can lead to recurrent gastrointestinal problems caused by Clostridioides difficile infections as well as long-term health problems such as obesity, allergies, asthma and other immunological or inflammatory diseases.