Reuterin

Reuterin is a glycerol metabolite originally isolated from L. reuteri, a bacteria found in the intestines of humans, that has antibacterial activity.¹ It is produced by L. reuteri during exposure to live or UV-killed E. coli.² Reuterin is active against E. coli and several species of Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Eubacterium (MICs = 1.9-15 mM) as well as C. difficile and B. vulgatus (MICs = <1.9 mM for both).³ It enhances increases in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death induced by vancomycin (Item No. 15327) or metronidazole (Item No. 9002409) in C. difficile when used at a concentration of 2.5 mM.⁴ Reuterin alters the bacterial composition of, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by, the mouse fecal microbiome.⁵

WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.

1. Talarico, T.L., Casas, I.A., Chung, T.C., et al. Production and isolation of reuterin, a growth inhibitor produced by Lactobacillus reuteri. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 32(12), 1854-1858 (1988).

2. Schaefer, L., Auchtung, T.A., Hermans, K.E., et al. The antimicrobial compound reuterin (3-hydroxypropionaldehyde) induces oxidative stress via interaction with thiol groups. Microbiology (Reading) 156(Pt 6), 1589-1599 (2010).

3. Cleusix, V., Lacroix, C., Vollenweider, S., et al. Inhibitory activity spectrum of reuterin produced by Lactobacillus reuteri against intestinal bacteria. BMC Microbiol. 7, 101 (2007).

4. Engevik, M.A., Danhof, H.A., Shrestha, R., et al. Reuterin disrupts Clostridioides difficile metabolism and pathogenicity through reactive oxygen species generation. Gut Microbes 12(1), 1788898 (2020).

5. Castellani, C., Obermüller, B., Kienesberger, B., et al. Production, storage stability, and susceptibility testing of reuterin and its impact on the murine fecal microbiome and volatile organic compound profile. Front. Microbiol. 12, 699858 (2021).