Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42183322›Full record

ArticleIranian journal of microbiology2026

Impact of co-amoxiclav-induced gut microbiota modulation on seizure frequency in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Ali Abbaskhanian, Mohammad Sadegh Rezai, Kobra Sheidaee, Reza Valadan, Masood Mohammadi, Mona Moradi, Golnar Rahimzadeh

Abstract read
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Article in Iranian journal of microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ali AbbaskhanianPediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Mohammad Sadegh RezaiPediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Kobra SheidaeePediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Reza ValadanDepartment of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Masood MohammadiPediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Mona MoradiPediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Golnar RahimzadehPediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders; despite advances in antiepileptic medications, approximately 15-30% of patients continue to experience drug-resistant seizures. The ketogenic diet has emerged as an effective non-pharmacological treatment for these individuals. Recent studies suggest that changes in gut microbiota may play a role in the diet's ability to reduce seizures. Given this information, our study aimed to investigate the short-term modulation of gut microbiota through antibiotics influences seizure frequency in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Materials and Methods: In this open-label clinical trial, 20 children with drug-resistant epilepsy were enrolled in 2020 at a tertiary pediatric clinic in Sari, Iran. Participants received oral co-amoxiclav (amoxicillin-clavulanate) at a dose of 40 mg/kg per day for five consecutive days. Seizure frequency was monitored before and after the antibiotic intervention. Stool samples were collected at baseline and immediately following treatment, and quantitative real-time PCR was performed to assess all bacterial load as well as the relative abundance of the major gut bacterial groups, Firmicutes and Bacteroides. Results: The short-term course of co-amoxiclav significantly altered the gut microbiota composition, with a notable reduction in Bacteroidetes and a significant increase in all bacterial gene copies, while the abundance of Firmicutes remained largely unchanged. However, there was no statistically significant change in seizure frequency during the 12-week follow-up period. Conclusion: Although short-term co-amoxiclav treatment modified the gut microbiota, it did not lead to a meaningful reduction in seizure frequency in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. These findings underscore the complexity of the gut-brain axis and suggest that simple, short-term antibiotic interventions may not be sufficient to influence seizure outcomes. Future studies should involve larger, multicenter cohorts, longer treatment durations, and more comprehensive analyses of microbiota profiles.

Indexed as

Co-amoxiclavDrug-resistant epilepsyGut microbiotaPediatric epilepsy

Identifiers

PMID42183322
PMCPMC13196795

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