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Updated: Feb 3, 2026
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An In Vivo Method for Evaluating the Gut-Blood Barrier and Liver Metabolism of Microbiota Products
Published on: October 20, 2018
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[Gut-liver axis: How intestinal bacteria affect the liver]
Peter C Konturek1,2, Igor A Harsch3, Kathrin Konturek4
1Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Thüringen-Kliniken Saalfeld, Saalfeld, Deutschland. pkonturek@web.de.
MMW Fortschritte Der Medizin
|October 28, 2018
Summary
A damaged intestinal barrier ("leaky gut") increases liver damage risk. Intestinal bacteria influence chronic liver diseases, with microbial therapies showing promise but requiring further study.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Hepatology
- Microbiology
Background:
- The liver and intestine share a close anatomical and functional relationship.
- Damage to the intestinal barrier, termed "leaky gut," elevates the risk of liver injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the influence of intestinal bacteria on the development of chronic liver diseases.
- To explore available therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiome for liver conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating the gut-liver axis in chronic liver diseases.
- Analysis of research on microbial modulating therapies for liver conditions.
Main Results:
- Intestinal dysbiosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of various chronic liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and cirrhosis.
- Therapies modulating the intestinal microbiota, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, demonstrate beneficial effects.
Conclusions:
- Intestinal microbial dysbiosis is a significant factor in chronic liver disease progression.
- Microbial modulating therapies offer a promising avenue for treatment, though further research is needed to elucidate their precise mechanisms and optimize their application.
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