Functions of the Human Intestinal Flora: The Use of Probiotics and Prebiotics

Tuohy, Kieran; Gibson, Glenn R.

doi:10.1002/9780470988558.ch6

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 139 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…and Bifidobacterium spp. (11,12) These bacteria are accompanied by a single methanogenic archaeon, Methanobrevibacter smithii (9,13) . The eukarya include protozoa, but those found in the GIT seem never to have been studied with reference to PPT catabolism.…”

Section: Bacterial Composition Of the Human Gutmentioning

confidence: 99%

Colonic metabolites of berry polyphenols: the missing link to biological activity?

2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The absorption of dietary phenols, polyphenols and tannins (PPT) is an essential step for biological activity and effects on health. Although a proportion of these dietary bioactive compounds are absorbed intact, depending on their chemical structure and the nature of any attached moiety (e.g. sugar, organic acid), substantial amounts of lower molecular weight catabolites are absorbed after biotransformation by the colon microflora. The main products in the colon are (a) benzoic acids (C6–C1), especially benzoic acid and protocatechuic acid; (b) phenylacetic acids (C6–C2), especially phenylacetic acid per se; (c) phenylpropionic acids (C6–C3), where the latter are almost entirely in the dihydro form, notably dihydrocaffeic acid, dihydroferulic acid, phenylpropionic acid and 3-(3′-hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid. As a result of this biotransformation, some of these compounds can each reach mm concentrations in faecal water. Many of these catabolites are efficiently absorbed in the colon, appear in the blood and are ultimately excreted in the urine. In the case of certain polyphenols, such as anthocyanins, these catabolites are major products in vivo; protocatechuic acid is reported to represent a substantial amount of the ingested dose of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. The major catabolites of berries, and especially blackcurrants, are predicted based on compositional data for polyphenols from berries and other sources. Since microbial catabolites may be present at many sites of the body in higher concentration than the parent compound, it is proposed that at least a part of the biological activities ascribed to berry polyphenols and other PPT are due to their colonic catabolites.

show abstract