Revisiting the Intestinal Microbiome and Its Role in Diarrhea and Constipation

Abstract

The gut microbiota represents a community of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, archaea, viruses, and protozoa) that colonize the gut and are responsible for gut mucosal structural integrity and immune and metabolic homeostasis. The relationship between the gut microbiome and human health has been intensively researched in the past years. It is now widely recognized that gut microbial composition is highly responsible for the general health of the host. Among the diseases that have been linked to an altered gut microbial population are diarrheal illnesses and functional constipation. The capacity of probiotics to modulate the gut microbiome population, strengthen the intestinal barrier, and modulate the immune system together with their antioxidant properties have encouraged the research of probiotic therapy in many gastrointestinal afflictions. Dietary and lifestyle changes and the use of probiotics seem to play an important role in easing constipation and effectively alleviating diarrhea by suppressing the germs involved. This review aims to describe how probiotic bacteria and the use of specific strains could interfere and bring benefits as an associated treatment for diarrhea and constipation.

Antagonistic effects of actin-specific toxins onSalmonellaTyphimurium invasion into mammalian cells

“…Competitive pressure of commensal bacteria is a major mechanism protecting the digestive tract from pathogenic species. While diarrhea can be initiated by the host and have a protective function, at least some of the diarrhea-causing bacteria (e.g., V. cholerae and Salmonella strains) benefit from this induced imbalance in the host's water-electrolyte homeostasis not only by release of nutrients and a facilitated evacuation and spread, but also by drastically reducing the complexity of the microbiome 68 , reducing the competitive pressure from commensal microorganisms.…”

Tryptophan Metabolism in Postmenopausal Women with Functional Constipation

“…Therefore, we have not considered probiotic administration as a confounding factor in our analysis. However, many probiotics were reported to play a role in relieving constipation; therefore, the history of taking probiotics should be included in the analysis in further studies as an important factor that can modulate constipation (reviewed in [ 64 ]).…”

The significance of gut microbiota in the etiology of autoimmune hepatitis: a narrative review

“…The intestinal tract hosts many species of commensal bacteria, which are constantly stimulated by foreign dietary and environmental antigens and maintain a dynamic equilibrium while contributing to the body's normal physiological functions (Airola et al, 2023). Under normal physiological conditions, the intestinal microbiota plays a key role in maintaining the normal structure of the gut, promoting the integrity of the intestinal barrier, and modulating the mucosal immune response by maintaining intercellular connections and promoting epithelial repair (Gupta and Dey, 2023;Iancu et al, 2023). A study evaluates the correlation of changes in gut permeability, bacterial transit, and gut microbiome with AIH progression in patients with AIH.…”