Neuropathic pain relief from gut microbe!
Some patients with shingles develop postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and the researchers in this study investigated the role of gut microbiota in shingle- and PHN-related pain.
The researchers identified distinct gut microbiota profiles in healthy individuals and patients with shingles or postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). The found fecal microbiota transplantation from patients with PHN to mice heightened pain sensitivity.
They developed a metagenomics-based model to assess PHN risk and showed that Roseburia intestinalis produces butyrate to alleviate pain by activating vagal nerves through the receptor, G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41), suppressing pain-related brain regions in animal models.
Administration of Roseburia intestinalis, a bacterium both depleted in patients with shingles and PHN, alleviated peripheral nerve injury-induced pain in mice.
They also show that Vagal knockout of Gpr41 abolished the effects of R. intestinalis and reduced pain behaviors.
https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/fulltext/S1931-3128(24)00444-X
https://sciencemission.com/Roseburia-intestinalis-derived-butyrate-alleviates-neuropathic-pain
