The Importance of a Broad Consortium of Bacteria for a Healthy Gastrointestinal tract: A Narrative Review of the Live Biotherapeutic Product REBYOTA

The human microbiome comprises an estimated 100 trillion organisms and their genetic content which consists of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. There are more than 1,000 diTherent species of bacteria in a healthy gut with the majority residing in the lumen of the large intestine. The balance of these organisms is vital for the balance of health and the relative abundance is essential to provide the various metabolites and other chemicals necessary for normal microbial environment which is known as eubiosis. When the balance or relative abundance is shifted, a disturbance of metabolites can lead to a condition, dysbiosis. Certain organisms are responsible for essential metabolites such as short chain fatty acids or bile acids. These molecules have various consequences including disruption of colonization resistance or lack of GABA production which has been shown to affect the gut-brain axis. It is the relative amounts of certain taxa or species that ensure this balance among these various organisms constitute a broad consortium. This consortium comprises Bacteroidia and Firmicutes which includes Clostridium species. Herein we describe the important features of various organisms and their metabolites.