Gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders are digestive problems caused by nerves or muscles in the gut not working properly.
Currently, it is treated using drugs like laxatives and prokinetics, but drug therapy is limited by side effects such as diarrhoea and high recurrence rates from non-compliance. Emerging treatments include the use of natural ingredients and bacterial strains.
Previous literature also elicited that “multiple strains were more advantageous than single strains and produced certain coordination effects to enhance their beneficial effects.”
To investigate the difference between single strain and multiple strains, the study administered a probiotic combination, namely Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (JY062) and Lactobacillus gasseri (JM1), on mice.
After administration, measurements on the mice were then taken to explore variables that cause GI motility disorders, namely the regulation of GI regulatory peptides, balance of gut microbiota and regulation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
Key findings from the combined group
After two weeks of probiotic intervention, the researchers found multiple actions within the gut that explained how GI motility disorders can be alleviated.
Firstly, the combined group was found to have increased excitatory regulators (MTL and GAS) and decreased inhibitory regulators (PYY), facilitating the overall regulation of GI regulatory peptides.
Secondly, the combined group was found to have increased levels of beneficial bacteria, namely Lactobacillus, Rikenellaceae, and Clostridiaceae_Clostridium.
Lastly, SCFAs - regarded as enablers of beneficial bacteria and inhibitors of harmful bacteria growth – were found to have significantly increased for the combined group, while none were found for the single groups.
Study design
The JY062 and JM1 strains were obtained from traditional fermented dairy products and healthy infant faeces respectively, cultured at Qingdao Hope Bio-Technology Co., Ltd., and processed into cell pellets by centrifugation.
Over two weeks, the study included 40 Chinese Kunming mice, six to seven weeks’ old, divided into five groups, including the normal control group, model group, JY062 group, JM1 group, and the combination group.
Only mice from the JY062 group, JM1 group, and the combination group respectively were administered JY062, JM1 and the combination of 5 _ 109 CFU/mL, at a dose of 10 mg /(kg_d) body weight for two weeks. The other two groups were given phosphate buffer saline with an equal dose.
Research implications
The researchers added that the results open an avenue to explore the development of functional foods with these strains as a treatment alternative for GI motility disorders.
“In summary, the probiotic combination of L. paracasei JY062 and L. gasseri JM1 could alleviate GI motility disorder in mice, specifically by improving the secretion of MTL, GAS, PYY, 5-HT, and NO, and increasing the expression of c-kit and SCF protein.
“In addition, gut microbiota was regulated through an increase in SCAFs-producing bacteria (Lactobacillus, Rikenellaceae, and Clostridiaceae _Clostridium) and a decrease in harmful bacteria (Bacteroides and Prevotella).
“Additionally, the concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid were also increased mostly. Thus, it showed that the combination of L. paracasei JY062 and L. gasseri JM1 could balance intestinal homeostasis through multiple actions to alleviate GI motility disorder in mice induced by loperamide,” the authors concluded with a summary of the findings.
Source: Nutrients
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15040839
“The Probiotic Combination of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei JY062 and Lactobacillus gasseri JM1 Alleviates Gastrointestinal Motility Disorder via Improving Gut Microbiota”
Authors: Cheng, S., et al.
