Akinluyi ET, Edem EE, Dakoru KM, Nnodim CJ, Oladipupo MA, Adeoluwa OA, Obisesan AO, Ben-Azu B, Adebayo OG. Psychobiotic interventions attenuate chronic alcohol use-mediated exacerbation of posttraumatic stress disorder in rats: the role of gut-liver axis response.
J Complement Integr Med 2023;
20:92-105. [PMID:
36537043 DOI:
10.1515/jcim-2022-0353]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The incidence of co-occurring alcohol-use disorder (AUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is high, and the presence of one disorder aggravates the severity of the other. Emerging evidence shows the neuroprotective and anti-inflammation functions of psychobiotics. Hence, the study explored the effects of probiotics and synbiotic inulin on the gut- and liver-oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers in chronic alcohol exacerbation of PTSD symptoms in rats.
METHODS
Young adult rats were administered 10% ethanol in a two-bottle choice test for six weeks and were subjected to single prolonged stress. Probiotics and synbiotic intervention followed this. Markers of oxido-inflammatory stress, liver functions, intestinal (faecal) metabolites, occludin expression, and histopathology of the ileum and liver were evaluated.
RESULTS
Chronic alcohol drinking and PTSD increased oxido-inflammatory stress, markers of hepatic damage, and reduced faecal metabolites, which were attenuated by probiotic and synbiotic interventions. Furthermore, reduced immunoexpression of gut and liver occludin, with loss of barrier integrity, viable hepatocytes, congestive portal area, and shortened villi and crypt depth, were observed. Probiotic and synbiotic interventions mitigated these effects.
CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrates that psychobiotics mitigate the detrimental effects of co-occurring chronic alcohol intake in the context of PTSD.
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