Influence of antibiotics on microbial intestinal transformation of cholesterol to coprostanol in man

Fecal excretion of coprostanol was followed in groups of healthy volunteers receiving various antibiotics per os. No effect upon excretion was found in the groups receiving phenoximethylpenicillin or doxicycline, whereas a prolonged reduction was found in the groups receiving clindamycin, ampicillin, oxitetracycline or a fixed combination of bacitracin and neomycin.