Antibiotic cocktail followed by Clostridium butyricum (CBM588) supplementation improves colonic anastomotic healing in mice

Abstract Background Microbiota manipulation through preoperative probiotic administration with Clostridium butyricum (CBM588) has shown promising results in reducing surgical site infections, but the resulting changes in gut microbiota are unclear. This study, using 16S ribosomal RNA metagenomic analysis, aimed to observe microbiome changes after CBM588 administration before murine colonic anastomosis. Materials and methods Eighteen C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups. All mice, including group A as the control group, received oral neomycin and metronidazole before surgery. Group B received six consecutive days of CBM588 before surgery. Group C received kanamycin, gentamycin, colistin, metronidazole, and vancomycin, followed by six consecutive days of CBM588 before surgery. Results Compared with groups A and B, group C had significantly lower adhesion scores (p < 0.001), better postoperative performance (p < 0.05) and anastomotic healing scores (p < 0.001), and lower anastomotic necrosis areas (p < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis revealed that group C was enriched with the order Clostridiales, family Clostridiaceae , and genus Clostridium , with low bacterial diversity and composition. Conclusions Using a murine colonic anastomosis model, a preoperative antibiotic cocktail followed by CBM588 supplementation effectively decreased bacterial diversity and increased the percentage of Clostridiaceae . Associated outcomes included lower intra-abdominal adhesion scores, better postoperative performance and anastomotic healing scores, and lower anastomotic necrosis areas.