Non-viable bacteria, referred to as “paraprobiotics,” have attracted attention as potentially safer alternatives to probiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of heat-killed Lactobacillus casei DKGF7 on the symptomatic improvement of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in a rat disease model and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the beneficial effects of heat-killed probiotics. Seven male Wistar rats were induced with IBS by restraint stress and administered heat-killed L. casei DKGF7 for four weeks and then compared with seven rats in the control group. Stool consistency measured four weeks after initial treatment was the primary outcome measure. To investigate the mechanism of action of the heat-killed bacteria on IBS, we measured serum corticosterone levels, inflammatory cytokines in colon tissue, and expression of tight junction proteins (TJPs) in the epithelium. The treatment group showed significantly better stool consistency scores than the control group at week 4, as well as at every measured time point (all p values < 0.05). The treatment group showed lower serum corticosterone levels, lower colonic inflammatory cytokine levels, and higher expression of TJPs compared with the control group. Paraprobiotics such as heat-killed L. casei DKGF7 can improve stool consistency in a rat IBS model, which may indicate a potential therapeutic strategy for IBS treatment.

This study investigated changes in the intestinal microbiota during 8-week infliximab maintenance therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in clinical remission. Microbial compositional differences were analyzed according to the trough level of infliximab (TLI) and mucosal healing (MH) status. 16S rRNA gene-based microbiome profiling was performed on 10 and 74 fecal samples from 10 healthy volunteers and 40 adult IBD patients, respectively. Fecal sampling occurred at 1–2 weeks (1W) and 7–8 weeks (7W) after infliximab infusion. TLI was measured by ELISA at 8 weeks, immediately before the subsequent infusion; MH was evaluated by endoscopy within 3 months. There were no significant changes in microbial composition, species richness, or diversity indices between 1W and 7W. However, 7W samples from the patients with TLI ≥ 5 μg/mL showed an increased species richness compared with patients with TLI < 5 μg/mL, and patients with MH showed increased diversity compared with non-MH patients. Beta-diversity analysis showed clustering between samples in the MH and non-MH groups. LEfSe analysis identified differential composition of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii group according to TLI and MH. In conclusion, these results suggest the potential of fecal microbiota as a response indicator.

The administration of a combination of probiotics and prebiotics is expected to be a promising strategy for improving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a synbiotic containing Lactobacillus paracasei and Opuntia humifusa extract for symptomatic improvement of IBS in a murine model and to evaluate the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of this synbiotic. A total of 20 male Wistar rats aged 8 weeks with IBS induced by restraint stress were assigned into four groups and administered L. paracasei as a probiotic and O. humifusa extract as a prebiotic for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was stool consistency at week 4. To evaluate the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of the synbiotic, fecal microbial analysis was conducted, and the serum corticosterone levels, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in the colon tissue, and expression of tight junction proteins were investigated. All three treatment groups showed significantly lower scores for stool consistency than the control group at week 4 (all p < 0.001). When compared with the control group, the synbiotic groups showed a significantly greater abundance of L. paracasei in fecal microbial analysis, lower serum corticosterone levels, lower TNF-α levels in the colon tissue, and higher expression of tight junction proteins. This novel synbiotic containing L. paracasei and O. humifusa extract can improve the stool consistency in a murine model of IBS. It may be a promising treatment option for IBS, and human studies are warranted.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an established curative treatment for lateral spreading tumors and early colorectal cancer, but it can cause procedure‐related complications such as post‐ESD coagulation syndrome (PECS), which may increase healthcare utilization, prolong hospitalization, and raise medical costs. Nexpowder (Nextbiomedical Co. Ltd., Incheon, Republic of Korea), a highly adhesive hemostatic powder approved by the U.S. FDA for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, has demonstrated efficacy in preventing rebleeding. This study aimed to evaluate the prophylactic efficacy of Nexpowder in preventing PECS after colorectal ESD for high‐risk proximal lesions. Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included patients who underwent colorectal ESD between April 2023 and October 2024 for PECS high‐risk lesions, excluding those with perforation, muscular injury, or prophylactic clipping. Nexpowder was applied prophylactically in 35 patients (46.7%), while 40 patients (53.3%) served as controls. PECS was defined as postprocedural abdominal pain, fever, and elevated inflammatory markers requiring antibiotics. Results: PECS occurred in nine patients overall. The incidence was significantly lower in the Nexpowder group (2.9% [CI 0.3–12.6]) than in the control group (20.0% [CI 9.9–34.2]; p = 0.032). All cases resolved with conservative treatment, and no surgical intervention was required. Conclusion: The application of Nexpowder was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of PECS after high‐risk colorectal ESD. This study provides the first clinical evidence that a topical barrier agent may serve as a simple and effective preventive strategy for PECS.