Preclinical Evaluation of Sodium Butyrate's Potential to Reduce Alcohol Consumption: A Dose-Escalation Study in C57BL/6J Mice in Antibiotic-Enhanced Binge-Like Drinking Model.

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Microbiome-derived metabolites in substance use disorders: Mechanisms and implications.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2025
Review

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Gregory C HavtonTitus Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Alex T C TaiTitus Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Surabhi VasishtTitus Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Daryl L DaviesTitus Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Liana AsatryanTitus Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Funding

Regulation of Alcohol Intake by Purinergic P2X4 ReceptorsR01AA022448 · NIAAA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI DAVIES, DARYL L · 2013 to 2020

$2.9M

NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA022448

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn our earlier efforts to establish gut-brain axis during alcohol use disorder (AUD), we have demonstrated that supplementation of C57BL/6J male mice with 8 mg/mL sodium butyrate, a major short-chain fatty acid, in drinking water reduced ethanol intake and neuroinflammatory response in antibiotic (ABX)-enhanced voluntary binge-like alcohol consumption model, drinking in the dark (DID).

methodsTo further evaluate the preclinical potential of SB, we have set a dose-escalation study in C57BL/6J male mice to test effects of ad libitum 20 mg/mL SB and 50 mg/mL SB and their combinations with ABX in the DID procedure for 4 weeks. Effects of these SB concentrations on ethanol consumption and bodily parameters were determined for the duration of the treatments. At the end of study, blood, liver, and intestinal tissues were collected to study any potential adverse effects ad to measure blood ethanol concentrations.

resultsIncreasing SB concentrations in the drinking water caused a loss in the protective effect against ethanol consumption and produced adverse effects on body and liver weights, reduced overall liquid intake. The hypothesis that these effects were due to aversion to SB smell/taste at these high concentrations were further tested in a follow up proof-of-concept study with intragastric gavage administration of SB. The higher gavage dose (320 mg/kg) caused reduction in ethanol consumption without any adverse effects.

conclusionOverall, these findings added more support for the therapeutic potential of SB in management of AUD, given a proper form of administration.

introductionIn our earlier efforts to establish gut-brain axis during alcohol use disorder (AUD), we have demonstrated that supplementation of C57BL/6J male mice with 8 mg/mL sodium butyrate, a major short-chain fatty acid, in drinking water reduced ethanol intake and neuroinflammatory response in antibiotic (ABX)-enhanced voluntary binge-like alcohol consumption model, drinking in the dark (DID).

methodsTo further evaluate the preclinical potential of SB, we have set a dose-escalation study in C57BL/6J male mice to test effects of ad libitum 20 mg/mL SB and 50 mg/mL SB and their combinations with ABX in the DID procedure for 4 weeks. Effects of these SB concentrations on ethanol consumption and bodily parameters were determined for the duration of the treatments. At the end of study, blood, liver, and intestinal tissues were collected to study any potential adverse effects ad to measure blood ethanol concentrations.

resultsIncreasing SB concentrations in the drinking water caused a loss in the protective effect against ethanol consumption and produced adverse effects on body and liver weights, reduced overall liquid intake. The hypothesis that these effects were due to aversion to SB smell/taste at these high concentrations were further tested in a follow up proof-of-concept study with intragastric gavage administration of SB. The higher gavage dose (320 mg/kg) caused reduction in ethanol consumption without any adverse effects.

conclusionOverall, these findings added more support for the therapeutic potential of SB in management of AUD, given a proper form of administration.

Indexed as

Alcohol DrinkingBinge DrinkingButyric AcidAnimalsAnti-Bacterial AgentsDisease Models, AnimalDose-Response Relationship, DrugEthanolMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLAnti-Bacterial AgentsButyric AcidEthanolAcute liver toxicityAlcohol use disorderAntibiotic-enhanced voluntary binge-like alcohol consumption modelOccludin dimerizationSmell and taste aversionSodium butyrate supplementation