Effects of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 in IBS patients

• Published in: European journal of clinical investigation Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. e13201 - n/a
• Main Authors: Bonfrate, Leonilde, Di Palo, Domenica M., Celano, Giuseppe, Albert, Adelin, Vitellio, Paola, De Angelis, Maria, Gobbetti, Marco, Portincasa, Piero
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2020; Blackwell
• Subjects: abdominal pain; Adult; Bacteria; Bifidobacterium longum; bloating; Crossovers; Disease control; Double-Blind Method; Female; functional gastrointestinal disorders; Gastroenterology & hepatology; Gastroentérologie & hépatologie; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Human health sciences; Humans; Intestinal microflora; Intestine; Irritable bowel syndrome; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - microbiology; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - therapy; Lactic acid; Lactic acid bacteria; Lactobacilli; Lactobacillus rhamnosus; Male; Metabolome; Microbiota; Middle Aged; Pain; Permeability; Phenols; Randomization; randomized placebo-controlled study; Relative abundance; Sciences de la santé humaine; Signs and symptoms; Sucralose; Vitamin B6; Yogurt; bloating; abdominal pain; functional gastrointestinal disorders; randomized placebo-controlled study
• ISSN: 0014-2972; 1365-2362; 1365-2362
• DOI: 10.1111/eci.13201

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder, which still lacks effective therapy. We aimed to investigate the effects of a novel formulation of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 with vitamin B6 (LBB) on symptoms, intestinal permeability, cultivable bacteria and metabolome in IBS subjects. Materials and methods Twenty‐five IBS patients (Rome IV criteria) (M:F = 8:17; age 48 years ± 11 SD) were randomized to treatment (LBB) or placebo (one month each) in a crossover randomized double‐blind controlled trial. Symptoms, intestinal habits, disease severity, intestinal permeability and intestinal microbiota were analysed at 0, 30, 45 and 60 days. Results Percentage decrease from baseline of abdominal pain (−48.8% vs −3.5%), bloating (−36.35% vs +7.35%) and severity of disease (−30.1% vs −0.4%) was significantly (P < .0001) greater with LBB than placebo, respectively. In IBS‐D patients, the improvement from baseline of Bristol score was more consistent with LBB (from 6 ± 0.4 to 4.3 ± 1.1, P < .00001) than placebo (from 6.2 ± 0.7 to 5.3 ± 1.1, P = .04). In IBS‐C patients, Bristol score tended to improve from baseline after LBB (2.6 ± 1.1 vs 3.2 ± 0.5, P = .06). LBB significantly improved the percentage of sucralose recovery (colonic permeability) (1.86 ± 0.1 vs 1.1 ± 0.2, P = .01). During treatment, presumptive lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, relative abundance of propanoic, butanoic, pentanoic acids and hydrocarbons increased, while phenol decreased. Conclusions The novel formulation of B. longum BB536 and L. rhamnosus HN001 with B6 vitamin improves symptoms and severity of disease, restores intestinal permeability and gut microbiota in IBS patients.