Chapter 10 Pharmacological treatments and the microbiome—Antibiotics and nonantibiotic drugs

In the past two decades, the importance of the microbiome to host physiology in health and in disease has gained momentum. Advances in our understanding how microbes and their human hosts coexist, how our interactions with our microbes influence many aspects of health and disease have stimulated an unprecedented level of enthusiasm and curiosity about the potential of using microbe-targeted approaches to treat medical conditions from allergy to obesity to mental health. Within this context, it is important to consider the ability of microbiota to metabolize orally administered drugs, and to influence drug action, bioavailability, and toxicity. This chapter provides an overview of the interactions between pharmaceuticals, including antibiotic and nonantibiotic drugs, and the microbiome, with specific reference to brain health and related diseases.