Skip to main content
About the Institute
  • English
  • Français
  • Español
  • Russian

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Fecal microbiota transplant
  3. The mechanism of FMT: transplanting to restore the balance
  • Learn all about microbiota
    • The gut microbiota
    • The ENT microbiota
    • The pulmonary microbiota
    • The urinary microbiota
    • The skin microbiota
    • The vaginal microbiota
  • Microbiota and related conditions
    • Digestive disorders
    • Women disorders
    • Metabolic disorders
    • Skin disorders
    • Pediatric disorders
    • Psychiatric disorders
    • Neurological disorders
    • Respiratory disorders
    • Urinary disorders
  • Act on your microbiota
    • Probiotics
    • Prebiotics
    • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
    • Diet
  • Publications
    • Thematics folders
    • News
    • Press room
    About the Institute

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Healthcare professionals section

Find here your dedicated section
Biocodex logo
The power of your gut
My microbiota as a woman
Our marvelous microbiota

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Fecal microbiota transplant
  3. The mechanism of FMT: transplanting to restore the balance
The power of your gut

The mechanism of FMT: transplanting to restore the balance

Fecal transplant
The gut microbiota Fecal transplant

Although the media only recently became interested in this topic, fecal microbiota transplant is actually a very old medical practice. Its history goes all the way back to 4th-century China. It was then called “yellow soup” and was used to treat diarrhea and food poisoning. But the first experiment with a fecal enema was only conducted in 1958. In 2013, 45 years later, the results of the first clinical trial on FMT were published, demonstrating that it is superior to antibiotics in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infections1, a bacterium which is responsible for 20 to 30% of antibiotic-associated diarrhea that can sometimes be severe. It was the start of the craze towards FMT, first from researchers and later from the general public.

The power of your gut
My microbiota as a woman
Our marvelous microbiota
  • Learn all about microbiota
    • The gut microbiota
    • The ENT microbiota
    • The pulmonary microbiota
    • The urinary microbiota
    • The skin microbiota
    • The vaginal microbiota
  • Microbiota and related conditions
    • Digestive disorders
    • Women disorders
    • Metabolic disorders
    • Skin disorders
    • Pediatric disorders
    • Psychiatric disorders
    • Neurological disorders
    • Respiratory disorders
    • Urinary disorders
  • Act on your microbiota
    • Probiotics
    • Prebiotics
    • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
    • Diet
  • Publications
    • Thematics folders
    • News
    • Press room
    About the Institute

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Healthcare professionals section

Find here your dedicated section
Biocodex logo

Sources

This article is based on scientific information

Sharing is caring

Your friends might be interested in this topic. Why not share it?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail

Sections

Quest-ce-que-la-tmf-bandeau-intro

About this article

Created 19 December 2019
Updated 29 December 2021

Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT), also known as stool transplant, is an original therapeutic approach that aims at restoring gut microbiota balance.

It consists in administering microorganisms found in the stools of a healthy donor to restore the gut microbiota of a patient suffering from a disease associated to a disruption in the gut microbiota. Although FMT has only one approved indication so far–i.e. the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile colitis–the research is now focused on other therapeutic avenues: some gastrointestinal disorders, autism, obesity, depression, etc., with mixed results2. How is FMT regulated? What are its potential future uses and its limits?

The gut microbiota (or gut flora) is an organ in its own right, made of billions of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses...) constantly interacting with each other as well as with the organism they are colonizing (host). In the colon, microorganisms fiercely compete for available space and food, but they also work closely together to digest large molecules. As a treatment for Clostridium difficile infection, FMT is based on four mechanisms of action3:

Image
TMF-mechanisms-of-action
Sources

1 A relapse of C. difficile infection is defined by the return of symptoms associated to this bacterium and the presence of its toxins in patient’s stool within 8 weeks following the end of a well-conducted treatment and without further antibiotic treatment that could have triggered it (Sources: Sokol H. Transplantation fécale. Post’U(2018)

2 Lagier JC, Raoult D. Fecal microbiota transplantation: indications and perspectives. Med Sci (Paris). 2016 Nov

3 Khoruts A, Sadowski MJ. Understanding the mechanisms of faecal microbiota transplantation. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016 Sep;13(9):508-16. 

Tags
FMT

en_view en_sources

    See also

    Image1_Article5_DTO Fecal transplant: a promising route?
    Actu GP : Mieux définir les banques de selles pour déployer la greffe Improving the definition of stool banks to promote the widespread adoption of FMT
    Focus
    Fecal microbiota transplant
    • What is FMT?
      • The mechanism of FMT: transplanting to restore the balance
      • FMT, in practice: from the donor to the side effects
    • Proven efficacity for a single indication
      • Recurrent Clostridium difficile colitis: the only validated indication
    • What about tomorrow
      • Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases
      • Functional gastrointestinal disorders
      • Hepatic encephalopathy
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Expert Interview : Pr Harry Sokol
    Created 19 December 2019
    Updated 29 December 2021

    About this article

    To know more about this topic.

    Main topic

    Fecal transplant

    Related microbiotas

    The gut microbiota

    Related topics

    Fecal transplant
    Fecal microbiota transplant
    FMT, in practice: from the donor to the side effects
    Focus

    Fecal microbiota transplant

    What is FMT?

    The mechanism of FMT: transplanting to restore the balance FMT, in practice: from the donor to the side effects

    Proven efficacity for a single indication

    Recurrent Clostridium difficile colitis: the only validated indication

    What about tomorrow

    Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases Functional gastrointestinal disorders Hepatic encephalopathy Metabolic disorders Expert Interview : Pr Harry Sokol
    The power of your gut
    La discrimination difficile à digérer
    20.03.2023

    How discrimination turns our stomach

    Read the article

    Pediatric disorders

    Find out more
    Actu GP : Schizophrénie et microbiote : un lien confirmé ?
    28.05.2019

    Schizophrenia and microbiota: has the link been confirmed?

    Read the article

    How our gut constantly talks to our brain

    Our gut, often called our “second brain”, owns 200 million neurons (enteric nervous system), hosts several ...

    Find out more
    Periods and endometriosis: what is the role of the microbiota?
    24.01.2023

    Periods and endometriosis: what is the role of the microbiota?

    Read the article
    28.02.2023

    Why running could bring a smile to depressed teens... and their gut microbiota

    Read the article
    16.05.2022

    Gut microbiota: still many things to be discovered

    Read the article
    Patients stories - logo
    21.11.2022

    Patients stories: living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

    Read the article
    My health, my microbiota
    Follow our Facebook page
    Our marvelous microbiota
    Get to understand our microbiota and the role they play in our body
    Find your dedicated section
    Healthcare professionals
    • Learn all about microbiota
      • The gut microbiota
      • The ENT microbiota
      • The pulmonary microbiota
      • The urinary microbiota
      • The skin microbiota
      • The vaginal microbiota
    • Microbiota and related conditions
      • Digestive disorders
      • Women disorders
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Skin disorders
      • Pediatric disorders
      • Psychiatric disorders
      • Neurological disorders
      • Respiratory disorders
      • Urinary disorders
    • Act on your microbiota
      • Probiotics
      • Prebiotics
      • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
      • Diet
    • Publications
      • Thematics folders
      • News
      • Press room
      About the Institute

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section
    Biocodex logo
    The power of your gut
    My microbiota as a woman
    Our marvelous microbiota
    • English
    • Français
    • Español
    • Russian

    Browse the site

    • Learn all about microbiota
      • The gut microbiota
      • The ENT microbiota
      • The pulmonary microbiota
      • The urinary microbiota
      • The skin microbiota
      • The vaginal microbiota
    • Microbiota and related conditions
      • Digestive disorders
      • Women disorders
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Skin disorders
      • Pediatric disorders
      • Psychiatric disorders
      • Neurological disorders
      • Respiratory disorders
      • Urinary disorders
    • Act on your microbiota
      • Probiotics
      • Prebiotics
      • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
      • Diet
    • Publications
      • Thematics folders
      • News
      • Press room
      About the Institute

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section
    Biocodex logo

    Discover

    The power of your gut
    My microbiota as a woman
    Our marvelous microbiota

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Redirection

    You are about to be redirected and leave our website

    • Be redirected
    • Stay on the Biocodex Microbiota Institute's website

    Stay with us !

    Join the microbiota community and receive "The Essentials" once a month to stay up to date with the latest news on the microbiota.

    * Mandatory Fields

    BMI 20-35

    Explore

    La discrimination difficile à digérer
    20.03.2023

    How discrimination turns our stomach

    Read the article
    14.03.2023

    Does microbiota play a role in infertility?

    Read the article
    How to keep a healthy microbiota?
    02.03.2023

    How to keep a healthy microbiota?

    Read the article

    Stay updated

    Join the Microbiota Community and receive once a month “The Essential” to stay up to date on the latest news about microbiota.

    * Mandatory Fields

    BMI 20-35

    • Learn all about microbiota
      • The gut microbiota
      • The ENT microbiota
      • The pulmonary microbiota
      • The urinary microbiota
      • The skin microbiota
      • The vaginal microbiota
    • Microbiota and related conditions
      • Digestive disorders
      • Women disorders
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Skin disorders
      • Pediatric disorders
      • Psychiatric disorders
      • Neurological disorders
      • Respiratory disorders
      • Urinary disorders
    • Act on your microbiota
      • Probiotics
      • Prebiotics
      • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
      • Diet
    • Publications
      • Thematics folders
      • News
      • Press room
      About the Institute

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section
    Biocodex logo

    Discover

    The power of your gut
    My microbiota as a woman
    Our marvelous microbiota

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    © 2022 Biocodex. All rights reserved.

    • Cookies Policy
    • Data protection policy
    • GTU
    • Sitemap
    • Cookies settings
    Biocodex logo