Metabolism of some drugs by intestinal lactobacilli and their toxicological considerations.

The bacterial metabolism of three drugs (sulphasalazine, phthalylsulphathiazole and chloramphenicol palmitate) and two dyes (tartrazine and methyl red) has been studied using a resting culture technique. The strains used were isolated intestinal lactobacilli, E. coli and mixed cultures of faeces of mice. As high as 94.3% degradation of sulphasalazine was found with a strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus. The highest degradation of phthalylsulphathiazole and chloramphenicol palmitate was found to be 17.6% and 8%, respectively. A kinetic study was conducted on the rate of degradation of sulphasalazine, phthalylsulphathiazole and methyl red. The toxicological aspects of degradation products in relation to the use of lactobacilli as dietary supplement or therapeutic aid are discussed.