Research progress on the prevention and treatment of radiation-induced intestinal injury by the genus Lactobacillus

Acute radiation-induced intestinal injury is the common complication in patients following abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy. However, no effective clinical prevention and treatment interventions are available. As the probiotics and symbiotic bacteria, many species of the genus Lactobacillus are normally present in the gastrointestinal tract and beneficial for the intestinal health. Preclinical studies have reported that the genus Lactobacillus can prevent and treat acute radiation-induced intestinal injury by protecting crypt stem cells, maintaining intestinal barrier and exerting the antioxidant effect, etc. Clinical trials have prompted that oral administration of adequate complex probiotics containing Lactobacillus spp.at one week before radiotherapy contributes to preventing radiation-induced diarrhea. In addition, oral intake of the genus Lactobacillus has the tendency to treat radiation-induced diarrhea and mitigate acute radiation proctitis. At present, no relevant adverse events have been reported. Key words: Genus Lactobacillus; Aacute radiation-induced intestinal injury; Research progress