How the microbiome is influenced by the therapy of urological diseases: standard versus alternative approaches

Until recently the generally accepted paradigm implied that urine of healthy people is sterile. In the meantime several studies have established also a microbiome in the bladder with many different species. Whether bacteria cause damage in the bladder depends not only on their virulence, but also on the inflammatory response of the host. Under certain circumstances asymptomatic bacteriuria can even protect from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI). Some bacteria in the gut microbiome, such as Oxalobacter formigenes, are protective for calcium oxalate stone formation. The rapid rise of bacterial antibiotic resistance also among uropathogens due to wrong and often unreflected use of antibiotics has become a great concern. Instead of combating the pathogens, it appears to be more useful in many cases to treat the inflammatory host reaction and to preserve the protective bacterial flora. Due to its antiphlogistic, spasmolytic and antinociceptive properties in a pilot study the herbal triad combination centaury, lovage, and rosmary leaves (CLR (Canephron® N (Bionorica SE, Neumarkt, Germany))) – showed very good results in the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis. In the meantime a phase 3 study with CLR in comparison with fosfomycin trometamol has started. Analysing microbiome profiles in mice showed that even a single dose of fosfomycin as well as daily application of nitrofurantoin resulted in massive microbiome shifts, whereas phytotherapy with CLR largely preserved the gut microbiota.