Equibiotic-GI Consumption Improves Intestinal Microbiota in Subjects with Functional Dyspepsia

Background: At present, the interpretation of any dysfunction by pathogenic microbial colonization of the digestive tract can be considered as the rupture of the microbiotic balance in the injured or infected area. Phytodrugs with useful properties to balance the intestinal microbiota equibiotics represent an alternative recently proposed by the Medicinal Plant Research Company Phytomedicamenta S.A. The Equibiotic-GI® is a phytodrug developed as a combination of two plant extracts, obtained from the leaves of Psidium guajava L, (Myrtaceae) and the roots of Coptis chinensis Franch. (Racunculaceae). Both plants used traditionally for the treatment of several gastrointestinal disorders. Objective: The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of Equibiotic-GI® suspension on intestinal microbiota of subjects with functional dyspepsia. Methods: An open-label study performed in 8 adult subjects with functional dyspepsia receiving orally 20 mL of the suspension, daily for two weeks. Fecal samples were collected at baseline and the end of treatment for assessing gut microbiota composition by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Results: Equibiotic-GI modified the Bacteriodetes/Firmicutes proportion increasing the richness of the microbiota composition and Rikenellaceae and Alistipes abundance. Conclusion: Together with the improvement in the gastrointestinal symptomatology after the consumption of the product, the present study is the first clinical demonstration of the capacity of the Equibiotic-GI® to restore and balance the intestinal microbiota.