Sato S, Nagai H, Igarashi Y. Hepatogastroenterology. 2012 Sep;59(118):1804-8.
Synopsis: During enterohepatic circulation, the intestinal microbiota causes 7 alpha-dehydroxylation of cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), yielding deoxycholic acid (DCA) and lithocholic acid, respectively. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of probiotics in patients with UC by examining changes of the serum BA profile. Twenty-seven patients were divided into the following 2 groups based on endoscopic findings: Fifteen patients with distal UC (dUC group) and 12 patients with pancolitis (pUC group). After treatment with mesalazine or salazosulfapyridine (5-ASA), all patients achieved remission. Then they were given 5-ASA plus the probiotic Clostridium butyricum Miyairi (3.0 g/day) for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks of probiotic treatment, %CDCA was significantly higher and %DCA was significantly lower in the pUC group than in the control group of 8 healthy volunteers (HV group). In contrast, the dUC group showed no significant differences of %CDCA or %DCA from the HV group suggesting that Clostridium butyricum Miyairi therapy restored intestinal flora involved in 7 alpha-dehydroxylation of the dUC group.