Russian Scientists Develop Antidepressant Drug Derived from Bacteria

Scientists at the Institute of General Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology have developed a new drug extracted from the Lactobacillus bacteria.

Professor Valery Danilenko, head of the Department of Genetic Foundations of Biotechnology at the Institute of General Genetics, stated that the medication has proven effective in treating depression and reducing anxiety in patients suffering from obesity.

Speaking at the joint conference "Bioinformatics for Genome Regulation and Structure/Biological Systems" held in Novosibirsk, Professor Danilenko explained, "This is a collaborative study of an antidepressant drug derived from Lactobacillus brevis bacteria for patients with depression—a condition characterized by severe and multifaceted depression, associated with nearly all chronic diseases. The drug has shown relatively good results in individuals with metabolic syndrome or simply obesity."

According to Professor Danilenko, the experimental project involved young adults aged between 34 and 36 years who were obese and diagnosed with unipolar depression, a psychiatric disorder marked by persistent depression, apathy, and loss of energy. The 28-day treatment results indicated that the drug reduced depression symptoms from moderate to mild and lowered anxiety levels.

Participant surveys revealed that the treatment was linked to improved intestinal function, better mental health, and enhanced cognitive abilities.

It is noteworthy that the fifteenth multidisciplinary conference titled "Bioinformatics for Genome Regulation and Structure/Biological Systems" (BGRS/SB-2026) is scheduled to take place from July 6 to 11 at Novosibirsk University.