Vidarabine improves gut microbiota composition and structure in constipated mice

Vidarabine(VID) is a well-known antiviral medication that is commonly utilized to treat conditions such as hand-foot-mouth disease and herpes. Constipation is a prevalent complication of these diseases. Could VID treat these diseases by influencing defecation behavior? The animal test results show that oral administration of VID promoted gastrointestinal peristalsis, improved fecal properties, and facilitated defecation. VID may alter the composition and structure of the gut microbial community in constipated mice. Some microbial taxa, including Firmicutes and Lactobacillus, were found to be associated with the alleviation of constipation, while other taxa, including Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Muribaculaceae, Muribaculum, g__norank__f__Desulfovibrionaceae, and Parasutterella, were found to be associated with the causation of constipation. These results indicate that the gut microbiota may play a significant role in the alleviation of constipation by VID.