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Samuel P, Holtzman CM, Meilman E, Sekowski I. Effect of neomycin and other antibiotics on serum cholesterol levels and on 7alpha-dehydroxylation of bile acids by the fecal bacterial flora in man. Circ Res 1973; 33:393-402. [PMID: 4741941 DOI: 10.1161/01.res.33.4.393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Fresh feces from 25 patients were homogenized and incubated with labeled cholic or chenodeoxycholic acid. After 24 hours of incubation, the percent change to the 7α-dehydroxylated form was measured. In 11 patients, the oral administration of 2g of neomycin daily significantly reduced the levels of serum cholesterol (from an average of 316 mg/100 ml plasma to 237 mg/100 ml plasma) and markedly inhibited the extent of 7α-dehydroxylation of cholic acid (from 89% to 9%); in 2 patients whose serum cholesterol levels were not lowered, the degradation of cholic acid remained unchanged (control 93%, neomycin 91%). In 5 patients the administration of kanamycin reduced serum cholesterol levels (from 280 mg/100 ml plasma to 252 mg/100 ml plasma) and also inhibited 7α-dehydroxylation of cholic acid (from 92% to 21%); in 3 additional patients this drug failed to lower serum cholesterol concentrations and had no effect on bile acid degradation (control 91%, kanamycin 92%). Similar results were obtained with chloramphenicol in 3 patients, and equivocal results were obtained with chlortetracycline in 3 patients. The correlation coefficient between undegraded cholic acid and percent decrease in serum cholesterol concentrations (
r
= 0.732) was statistically significant (
P
< 0.001). It is proposed that serum cholesterol levels might be controlled in part by the prevalence of bile acid-degrading bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract.
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