Bacteroides vulgatus (B. vulgatus) (B. vulgatus)

Bacteroides vulgatus (recently reclassified as Phocaeicola vulgatus) is a Gram-negative, obligately anaerobic bacterium and a dominant member of the human gut microbiota [4, 6]. It plays a multifaceted role in host health by serving as a primary degrader of complex dietary polysaccharides and a producer of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as propionate and butyrate, which support intestinal barrier integrity and modulate systemic immune responses [3, 7]. Clinical research has identified B. vulgatus as a significant microbial therapeutic target due to its inverse correlation with diseases such as coronary artery disease and hyperlipidemia; its administration can inhibit atherosclerosis by reducing microbial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) production and suppressing systemic inflammation [1, 2]. Furthermore, specific strains demonstrate protective effects against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by inducing regulatory T cells and reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6 [7, 9]. However, the therapeutic profile of B. vulgatus is highly strain-specific, as some variants have been implicated in the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation or act as opportunistic pathogens in extra-intestinal sites [10, 11]. Therapeutic interventions currently focus on the development of live biotherapeutic products, prebiotic supplementation to boost endogenous populations, or selective antibiotic treatment in cases of dysbiosis-related overgrowth [3, 5].

Other names

Phocaeicola vulgatusB. vulgatusBacteroides vulgatus Eggerth and Gagnon 1933

Production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), modulation of host bile acid metabolism (e.g., via bile salt hydrolase activity), suppression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) production and signaling, and reinforcement of the intestinal epithelial barrier.