IADR Abstract Archives
Inhibition of Autism Spectrum Disorder Associated Bacteria by Polyols
Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of erythritol and xylitol in the inhibition of gut bacteria possibly associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Methods: Five bacterial strains associated with ASD were tested for polyol inhibitory activity: Clostridium histolyticum, Bacteroides vulgatis, Bifidobacterium longham, and two strains of Clostridium bolteae. Each strain was grown in brain heart infusion/sucrose media with polyol concentrations varying from 0% to 15% for both erythritol and xylitol. Growth of Clostridium histolyticum and Bifidobacterium longham was measured after 24 hours while all other strains were evaluated at 48 hours to permit additional growth. Optical density was measured using a spectrophotometer and the plates were read at 620 nm.
Results: All strains had results indicating polyol inhibition of growth. Clostridium histolyticum, Bifidobacterium longham, and both Clostridium bolteae strains showed reduced growth with increasing polyol concentration with an inflection point of about 4% for both xylitol and erythritol (complete or near complete inhibition relative to control wells). Bacteroides vulgatis grew very lightly in the BHI/sucrose. This strain has visible growth but very low OD values. Inhibition of growth with increasing polyol concentrations was observed but assessing the polyol inhibition break point was difficult with this strain.
Conclusions: Xylitol and erythritol at sufficient concentrations were able to inhibit the growth of bacterial strains that have been associated with the development of Autism Spectrum Disorder in recently published studies.
Methods: Five bacterial strains associated with ASD were tested for polyol inhibitory activity: Clostridium histolyticum, Bacteroides vulgatis, Bifidobacterium longham, and two strains of Clostridium bolteae. Each strain was grown in brain heart infusion/sucrose media with polyol concentrations varying from 0% to 15% for both erythritol and xylitol. Growth of Clostridium histolyticum and Bifidobacterium longham was measured after 24 hours while all other strains were evaluated at 48 hours to permit additional growth. Optical density was measured using a spectrophotometer and the plates were read at 620 nm.
Results: All strains had results indicating polyol inhibition of growth. Clostridium histolyticum, Bifidobacterium longham, and both Clostridium bolteae strains showed reduced growth with increasing polyol concentration with an inflection point of about 4% for both xylitol and erythritol (complete or near complete inhibition relative to control wells). Bacteroides vulgatis grew very lightly in the BHI/sucrose. This strain has visible growth but very low OD values. Inhibition of growth with increasing polyol concentrations was observed but assessing the polyol inhibition break point was difficult with this strain.
Conclusions: Xylitol and erythritol at sufficient concentrations were able to inhibit the growth of bacterial strains that have been associated with the development of Autism Spectrum Disorder in recently published studies.