Protective role of Probiatop® in mitigating 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice

AIMS: Mucositis is an inflammatory condition affecting the gastrointestinal mucosa and is a common adverse effect of chemotherapy, particularly following treatment with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Currently, therapeutic options are mainly palliative. In this context, probiotic microorganisms have emerged as promising biotherapeutic strategies to mitigate chemotherapy-induced intestinal injury. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Probiatop®, a commercial probiotic formulation containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, and Bifidobacterium lactis, in a murine model of 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mucositis was induced in female BALB/c mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU (300 mg/kg). Clinical, microbiological, immunological, histological, and physiological parameters were analyzed. Fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) profiles were also evaluated as functional markers of microbial metabolic activity. Probiatop® treatment attenuated 5-FU-induced body weight loss, preserved epithelial barrier integrity by reducing intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation, and significantly improved ileal histological architecture. These protective effects were accompanied by a reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration, downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and modulation of SCFAs profiles, indicating alterations in microbial metabolic activity associated with intestinal homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Probiatop® exerts protective effects against 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis, likely through coordinated modulation of epithelial barrier function, inflammatory responses, and microbial metabolic activity.