Bacillus Clausii
Scientific Name(s): Bacillus clausii
Common Name(s): Enterogermina, Erceflora, Probiotic
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 22, 2021.
Clinical Overview
Use
B. clausii is a commonly used Bacillus spp. probiotic. Clinical data support its use for the treatment and prevention of gut barrier impairment. Small trials have investigated use in preterm neonates to prevent infection, treatment of nasal allergies and upper respiratory infections in children, and treatment of acute or chronic diarrhea, small-intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and adverse effects of Helicobacter pylori therapy in adults.
Dosing
Generally in clinical studies, 2 x 109 spores have been administered orally as a capsule or suspension 2 or 3 times daily, for 10 days up to 3 months. Manufacturer's product information: Adults: 4 to 6 x 109 spores/day (2 to 3 vials/day or 2 to 3 capsules/day). Children and breast-feeding infants: 2 to 4 x 109 spores/day. Use is recommended for short periods of time. Preterm neonates (less than 34 weeks' gestational age): 2.4 x 109 spores/day (2 mL every 8 hours mixed with enteral feeds through orogastric tube or orally) given until postnatal age of 6 weeks. Nasal allergies (children): 3 vials/day (2 x 109 spores/vial) administered orally for 3 weeks to reduce nasal symptoms.
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to B. clausii or to any of the product excipients.
Pregnancy/Lactation
According to the product information, B. clausii can be used during pregnancy and lactation, and in breast-feeding infants.
Interactions
None well documented.
Adverse Reactions
No adverse effects were noted in clinical trials of B. clausii or in the product information.
Toxicology
No data.
History
Spore-forming Bacillus spp. have been used for decades in the form of fermentation products or spore-based probiotic supplements; however, only a few Bacillus strains are recognized as safe and are available for commercial use.Ghelardi 2015, Upadrasta 2016 Clinically, B. clausii is one of the most commonly used microorganisms of the Bacillus spp.Lopetuso 2016 Historically considered to be soil microorganisms, Bacillus spp. bacteria may need to be reconsidered as gut commensals because their prevalence in the feces of animals is now recognized to be higher than previously thought.Ghelardi 2015
Probiotic preparations have been used throughout history. In a Persian version of the Old Testament, Abraham's longevity was purported to be the result of drinking sour milk. In 76 BC, the Roman historian Plinius described fermented milk as a remedy for gastroenteritis. In 1916, experiments were conducted to implant Escherichia coli as a means of fighting pathogenic intestinal flora.Schrezenmeir 2001
In 1965, the term "probiotic" was first used to describe "substances secreted by one microorganism that stimulate the growth of another"—in other words, the opposite of an antibiotic.Schrezenmeir 2001 Revised definitions have appeared in the literature to accommodate mechanisms of action and stimulation of systems other than bacteria. An all-encompassing definition has been proposed by one group: "A preparation of or a product containing viable, defined microorganisms in sufficient numbers, which alter the microflora (by implantation or colonization) in a compartment of the host and by that exert beneficial health effects in this host."Schrezenmeir 2001 Related concepts of prebiotics and synb...
