Background: The composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota play a crucial role in various health conditions, including the occurrence and development of chronic constipation. Recent metabolomic advances reveal that gut microbiota-derived metabolites—such as SCFAs, bile acids, neurotransmitters, and microbial gases—play critical roles in regulating intestinal function. Methods: We systematically analyzed the current literature on microbial metabolomics in chronic constipation. This review consolidates findings from high-throughput metabolomic techniques (GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR) comparing metabolic profiles of constipated patients with healthy individuals. It also examines diagnostic improvements and personalized treatments, including fecal microbiota transplantation and neuromodulation, guided by these metabolomic insights. Results: This review shows that reduced SCFA levels impair intestinal motility and promote inflammation. An altered bile acid metabolism—with decreased secondary bile acids like deoxycholic acid—disrupts receptor-mediated signaling, further affecting motility. Additionally, imbalances in amino acid metabolism and neurotransmitter production contribute to neuromuscular dysfunction, while variations in microbial gas production (e.g., methane vs. hydrogen) further modulate gut transit. Conclusions: Integrating metabolomics with gut microbiota research clarifies how specific microbial metabolites regulate gut function. These insights offer promising directions for precision diagnostics and targeted therapies to restore microbial balance and improve intestinal motility.

Boon-Kiat Lee, Pei Xu, Uma-Mageswary Mageswaran, Woo-Sik Jeong, Engku Ismail Engku-Husna, Kadir Muhammad-Nashriq, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Guoxia Liu, Yong-Ha Park, Siti Nurma Hanim Hadie, and Min-Tze Liong. Prev Nutr Food Sci 2023;28:293-301. https://doi.org/10.3746/pnf.2023.28.3.293

Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the main causes of cervical cancer in women, while there are currently no treatment nor intervention to reduce the concentration of cervical HPV. We thus aimed to investigate the effects of a probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Probio87 (orally administered at 9 log CFU/day) or placebo for 12-weeks, on reducing the abundance of vaginal HPV in HPV-positive women. A parallel, randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled study was performed where women were randomised to either the probiotic (n = 44, mean age 41.70 ± 1.06 years) or placebo (n = 45, mean age 41.13 ± 1.20 years). After 12 weeks, the probiotic group showed reduced vaginal HPV abundance ( ) and Nugent scores ( ) as compared to the placebo. VAS and VuAS questionnaires showed that the probiotic group had improved vulvar dryness ( ), soreness ( ), social interactions, daily activities ( ), and sexual activity ( ) compared to the placebo group. Blood gene expressions showed that the placebo group had higher upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, ; IFN-γ, ) and T-cell markers (CD44, ; CXCR5, ; CD4, ) compared to the placebo group, indicating increased inflammation. Neurotrophic factors BDNF and CREB were upregulated in the placebo group ( ), with higher IDO ( ) and TDO ( ) expressions compared to the probiotic group, suggesting increased kynurenine pathway activity and stress. Overall, probiotic supplementation appeared to reduce the abundance of vaginal HPV, possibly by lowering inflammation and enhancing immunity while mitigating the negative impacts of HPV infection on quality of life in HPV-positive women. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05316064).

Respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections in pediatric populations are major public health concerns. Addressing these challenges necessitates effective preventative and therapeutic strategies. This study assessed the efficacy of the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis B8762 (0.5 × 10¹⁰ CFU) in reducing the duration and frequency of these infections in young children. In a randomized trial, 115 eligible children were assigned to either the probiotic (n = 57; 3.51 ± 0.48 months old) or placebo (n = 58; 2.78 ± 0.51 months old) group, with daily consumption for 4 weeks. The probiotic group demonstrated a lower duration of infections than the placebo group (p < 0.05). The probiotic group also showed fewer clinical visits due to respiratory and gastrointestinal problems as compared to the placebo group (p = 0.009 & p = 0.004, respectively). Oral swab samples revealed that the placebo group had higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α after 4 weeks (p = 0.033), while the probiotic group demonstrated a balanced cytokine response, indicating modulation of the immune system. Genomic analysis showed that B8762 harbors various genes for the synthesis of proteins and vitamins crucial for the gut health of children. Both the clinical and genomic findings suggested that B8762 offered a therapeutic effect on gut and respiratory health in children, highlighting its potential in managing common pediatric infections.