Whey-based diet containing medium chain triglycerides modulates the gut microbiota and protects the intestinal mucosa from chemotherapy while maintaining therapy efficacy.

Cytotoxicity (i.e. cell death) is the core mechanism by which chemotherapy induces its anti-cancer effects.

Exposure of anti-infective drugs and the dynamic changes of the gut microbiota during gastrointestinal mucositis in autologous stem cell transplant patients: a pilot study.

Gastrointestinal mucositis could potentially compromise drug absorption due to functional loss of mucosa and other pathophysiological changes in the gastrointestinal microenvironment. Little is known about this effect on commonly used anti-infectives. This study aimed to explore the association between different stages of gastrointestinal mucositis, drug exposure, and gut microbiota.

Does Chemotherapy-Induced Gastrointestinal Mucositis Affect the Bioavailability and Efficacy of Anti-Infective Drugs?

Antimicrobial prophylaxis is increasingly being used in patients with hematological malignancies receiving high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, few studies have focused on the potential impact of gastrointestinal mucositis (GI-M), a frequently observed side effect of chemotherapy in patients with cancer that affects the gastrointestinal microenvironment, on drug absorption. In this review, we discuss how chemotherapy leads to an overall loss of mucosal surface area and consequently to uncontrolled transport across the barrier.

Prophylactic Treatment with Vitamins C and B2 for Methotrexate-Induced Gastrointestinal Mucositis.

Mucositis is a common side-effect of chemotherapy treatment, inducing alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota. Redox active compounds, such as vitamins B2 and C, have been shown to reduce inflammation and enhance the growth of anaerobic bacteria in the gut. We therefore aimed to (1) validate the ability of these compounds to promote bacterial cell growth in vitro, and (2) determine their prophylactic efficacy in a rat model of methotrexate (MTX)-induced mucositis.