Lactobacillus reuteri in digestive system diseases: focus on clinical trials and mechanisms

Yijing Peng; Yizhe Ma; Zichen Luo; Yifan Jiang; Zhimin Xu; Renqiang Yu

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2023.1254198

Lactobacillus reuteri in digestive system diseases: focus on clinical trials and mechanisms

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Aug 18:13:1254198. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1254198. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yijing Peng^{1

2}, Yizhe Ma^{1

3}, Zichen Luo¹, Yifan Jiang⁴, Zhimin Xu⁵, Renqiang Yu^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neonatology, Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuxi, China.
² Wuxi Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
³ Department of Pediatric, Jiangyin People's Hospital of Nantong University, Wuxi, China.
⁴ School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
⁵ College of Resources and Environment, Innovative Institute for Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China.
⁶ Research Institute for Reproductive Health and Genetic Diseases, Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuxi, China.

Abstract

Objectives: Digestive system diseases have evolved into a growing global burden without sufficient therapeutic measures. Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) is considered as a new potential economical therapy for its probiotic effects in the gastrointestinal system. We have provided an overview of the researches supporting various L. reuteri strains' application in treating common digestive system diseases, including infantile colic, diarrhea, constipation, functional abdominal pain, Helicobacter pylori infection, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, colorectal cancer and liver diseases.

Methods: The summarized literature in this review was derived from databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.

Results: The therapeutic effects of L. reuteri in digestive system diseases may depend on various direct and indirect mechanisms, including metabolite production as well as modulation of the intestinal microbiome, preservation of the gut barrier function, and regulation of the host immune system. These actions are largely strain-specific and depend on the activation or inhibition of various certain signal pathways. It is well evidenced that L. reuteri can be effective both as a prophylactic measure and as a preferred therapy for infantile colic, and it can also be recommended as an adjuvant strategy to diarrhea, constipation, Helicobacter pylori infection in therapeutic settings. While preclinical studies have shown the probiotic potential of L. reuteri in the management of functional abdominal pain, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, colorectal cancer and liver diseases, its application in these disease settings still needs further study.

Conclusion: This review focuses on the probiotic effects of L. reuteri on gut homeostasis via certain signaling pathways, and emphasizes the importance of these probiotics as a prospective treatment against several digestive system diseases.

Keywords: Lactobacillus reuteri; colorectal cancer; constipation; diarrhea; functional abdominal pain; gut microbiota; infantile colic; inflammatory bowel disease.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Abdominal Pain
Colic*
Colorectal Neoplasms*
Constipation
Diarrhea
Digestive System Diseases* / therapy
Diverticulitis*
Helicobacter Infections* / therapy
Helicobacter pylori*
Humans
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases*
Limosilactobacillus reuteri*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology (No. BE2022698), the Wuxi Science and Technology Bureau (No.Y20222003), the Wuxi Municipal Medical Innovation Team (No.CXTD2021013), the Wuxi Commission of Health and Family Planning (No. FYKY202109).