Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Assaying β-amyloid Toxicity using a Transgenic C. elegans Model
Published on: October 9, 2010
Vancomycin relieves mycophenolate mofetil-induced gastrointestinal toxicity by eliminating gut bacterial
Michael R Taylor1,2,3, Kyle L Flannigan4,5, Hannah Rahim1,2,3
1Departments of Pediatrics and Cardiac Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract:
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is commonly prescribed and has proven advantages over other immunosuppressive drugs. However, frequent gastrointestinal side effects through an unknown mechanism limit its use. We have found that consumption of MMF alters the composition of the gut microbiota, selecting for bacteria expressing the enzyme β-glucuronidase (GUS) and leading to an up-regulation of GUS activity in the gut of mice and symptomatic humans. In the mouse, vancomycin eliminated GUS-expressing bacteria and prevented MMF-induced weight loss and colonic inflammation. Our work provides a mechanism for the toxicity associated with MMF and a future direction for the development of therapeutics.
Related Concept Videos
Physiology of the Gastrointestinal System III: Elimination
Anatomy of the Gastrointestinal System
Here's a detailed walkthrough of this complex system:
Kinetics of Drug Elimination
Drug clearance depends on the rate of drug elimination and its plasma concentration. Another important parameter is the half-life of a drug, which is the time required for its concentration to decrease by half. In most cases, drug clearance follows first-order...
Enhanced Elimination of Poison
Antidotes serve a crucial role in counteracting the effects of poison by inhibiting enzymes responsible for producing harmful drug metabolites. In some cases, these toxic metabolites can be neutralized by endogenous cosubstrates, which are maintained at specific concentrations to prevent interaction with cellular macromolecules and subsequent cell death.
Renal excretion is the...
Radical Formation: Elimination
Elimination Reactions

