Bacillus coagulans 198 and gut damage in mice given chemotherapy
What it found
In mice given a chemotherapy drug, Bacillus coagulans 198 reduced weight loss, diarrhea, and gut inflammation.
It also helped restore the balance of gut bacteria.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Weight loss and diarrhea
Mice given only the chemotherapy drug lost about 20% of their body weight. Mice that also received the bacteria lost much less weight, around 5% to 8%, and had less severe diarrhea.
Gut tissue damage
The chemotherapy drug shortened the colon and damaged the gut lining in mice. Giving the bacteria, especially alongside L-glutamine, helped keep the colon longer and protected the gut structure.
Inflammation markers
Blood tests showed high levels of inflammatory signals like TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in mice treated with the chemotherapy drug alone. These signals dropped significantly when the mice also received the bacteria.
Gut bacteria balance
The chemotherapy drug increased harmful bacteria such as Escherichia shigella in the mouse gut. Adding the bacteria lowered these harmful types and raised helpful ones like Lactobacillus.
Short-chain fatty acids
Total short-chain fatty acids in mouse droppings rose from 111.0 mmol/g with the drug alone to 134.8 mmol/g with the bacteria. The combination with L-glutamine pushed this number to 165.6 mmol/g.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that giving Bacillus coagulans 198 by mouth reduces gut damage caused by the chemotherapy drug 5-FU in mice.
- Their results suggest the bacteria work by improving the mix of gut microbes and lowering inflammation.
- The authors believe these findings could help prevent and manage gut problems in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
How it was done
Chemotherapy often damages the gut lining and upsets the balance of gut bacteria, causing weight loss and diarrhea. The authors wanted to see if this specific strain of Bacillus coagulans could protect the gut during chemotherapy treatment.
The researchers studied male mice over 17 days. They gave some mice a chemotherapy drug called 5-FU to cause gut damage. Other groups received the same drug along with Bacillus coagulans 198, or the bacteria combined with an amino acid called L-glutamine, with six mice in each group.
What it can’t tell you
- These experiments were done in mice, so they cannot show what happens in people taking this ingredient.
- The study tested the bacteria alongside a specific chemotherapy drug, not in everyday situations without that drug.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan; National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan; National Chiayi University, Taiwan
The paper
- Title
- Bacillus coagulans 198 and L-glutamine in combination attenuated intestinal mucositis in a 5-FU-induced BALB/c mouse model via modulation of gut microbial community structure and diversity
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Chen WJ, Shen SR, Hsu WH, et al (2025). Bacillus coagulans 198 and L-glutamine in combination attenuated intestinal mucositis in a 5-FU-induced BALB/c mouse model via modulation of gut microbial community structure and diversity. Journal of food and drug analysis. doi:10.38212/2224-6614.3535Free full textPubMed 40202409DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error