Like other strains of Clostridium, it is an anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium that produces oval, subterminal endospores[2] and is commonly found in soil.

[3] C. sporogenes is often used as a surrogate for C. botulinum when testing the efficacy of commercial sterilisation.

[4] Clostridium sporogenes colonizes the human gastrointestinal tract, but is only present in a subset of the population; in the intestine, it uses tryptophan to synthesize indole and subsequently 3-indolepropionic acid (IPA)[5] – a type of auxin (plant hormone)[6][7] – which serves as a potent neuroprotective antioxidant within the human body and brain.

[8][9][10] Similar to melatonin but unlike other antioxidants, it scavenges radicals without subsequently generating reactive and pro-oxidant intermediate compounds.

[8][9][11] C. sporogenes is the only species of bacteria known to synthesize 3-indolepropionic acid in vivo at levels which are subsequently detectable in the blood stream of the host.