Abstract
The human intestine is colonized by a complex microbial ecosystem, which could be considered as a separate organ within the human host, having a coding capacity which exceeds the liver by a factor 100. On the one hand, this extensive microbiome is closely involved in the first-pass metabolism and bioavailability of food and drug compounds. Understanding to which extent each individual ’ s gut microbiota affects the bioavailability and response to orally administered drugs is therefore a first important challenge towards novel drug development strategies. On the other hand, as our microbiota is directly or indirectly involved in the onset of a number of disease states, a new generation of therapeutics may be developed that affect the structure and functioning of the intestinal microbiota and interfere with their specific cross-talk with the human host. Ultimately, the intestinal microbiota may even be used as a biomarker for impending diseases inside or outside the gastrointestinal tract and for the evaluation of responses to specific therapeutic interventions. This review will therefore highlight the importance of the indigenous microbial community and its enormous metabolic potential, microbe-microbe interactions, mechanisms of host-bacterium cross-talk and will discuss the onset of obesity, a specific disease state in which the role of intestinal bacteria becomes more and more apparent. Understanding the importance of the intestinal ecosystem in these phenomena may open the door for new strategies which target the management of the intestinal microbiome into the desired direction and therefore to a completely new type of nutrition research and pharmaceutical design.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: The Intestinal Environment in Health and Disease – Recent Insights on the Potential of Intestinal Bacteria to Influence Human Health
Volume: 15 Issue: 18
Author(s): Sam Possemiers, Charlotte Grootaert, Joan Vermeiren, Gabriele Gross, Massimo Marzorati, Willy Verstraete and Tom Van de Wiele
Affiliation:
Abstract: The human intestine is colonized by a complex microbial ecosystem, which could be considered as a separate organ within the human host, having a coding capacity which exceeds the liver by a factor 100. On the one hand, this extensive microbiome is closely involved in the first-pass metabolism and bioavailability of food and drug compounds. Understanding to which extent each individual ’ s gut microbiota affects the bioavailability and response to orally administered drugs is therefore a first important challenge towards novel drug development strategies. On the other hand, as our microbiota is directly or indirectly involved in the onset of a number of disease states, a new generation of therapeutics may be developed that affect the structure and functioning of the intestinal microbiota and interfere with their specific cross-talk with the human host. Ultimately, the intestinal microbiota may even be used as a biomarker for impending diseases inside or outside the gastrointestinal tract and for the evaluation of responses to specific therapeutic interventions. This review will therefore highlight the importance of the indigenous microbial community and its enormous metabolic potential, microbe-microbe interactions, mechanisms of host-bacterium cross-talk and will discuss the onset of obesity, a specific disease state in which the role of intestinal bacteria becomes more and more apparent. Understanding the importance of the intestinal ecosystem in these phenomena may open the door for new strategies which target the management of the intestinal microbiome into the desired direction and therefore to a completely new type of nutrition research and pharmaceutical design.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Possemiers Sam, Grootaert Charlotte, Vermeiren Joan, Gross Gabriele, Marzorati Massimo, Verstraete Willy and de Wiele Van Tom, The Intestinal Environment in Health and Disease – Recent Insights on the Potential of Intestinal Bacteria to Influence Human Health, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2009; 15 (18) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161209788489159
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161209788489159 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Chemoprevention of Cancer by Isothiocyanates and Anthocyanins: Mechanisms of Action and Structure-Activity Relationship
Current Medicinal Chemistry Role of the Akt Pathway in Prostate Cancer
Current Cancer Drug Targets Design and Development of Molecular Imaging Probes
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Miracles of Herbal Phytomedicines in Treatment of Skin Disorders: Natural Healthcare Perspective
Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets Rapid Screening of Antioxidant Active Constituents from Puerariae Lobatae Radix Based on the Investigation of Quantitative Patteren-Activity Relationship
Current Analytical Chemistry Leukocyte-Independent Effects of CC-Chemokines on Vascular Remodeling
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Advances of AKT Pathway in Human Oncogenesis and as a Target for Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery
Current Cancer Drug Targets Non-Linear Alteration of Serotonin Transport Availability in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Measured with 4-[<sup>18</sup>F] ADAM Positron Emission Tomography
Current Molecular Imaging (Discontinued) Medicinal Value and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino and Its Derivatives: An Overview
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Liposomes Prepared in Absence of Organic Solvents: Sonication Versus Lipid Film Hydration Method
Current Pharmaceutical Analysis The Application of DNA Microarrays to the Study of Cancer
Current Genomics Editorial (Hot Topic: The Bioenergetics of Cancer, the Warburg Hypothesis and the Mitochondrial Function)
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Extrapituitary Actions of GnRH Antagonists: Prospects for in vitro Fertilization Programs
Current Pharmaceutical Design Mitochondrial Functionality and Chemical Compound Action on Sperm Function
Current Medicinal Chemistry Recent Advances of Kinesin Motor Inhibitors and their Clinical Progress
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Oral Chemotherapy in Elderly Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Cruciferous Plants: Phytochemical Toxicity Versus Cancer Chemoprotection
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Use of Analogs of Peptide Hormones Conjugated to Cytotoxic Radicals for Chemotherapy Targeted to Receptors on Tumors
Current Drug Delivery LPTS: A Novel Tumor Suppressor Gene and a Promising Drug Target for Cancer Intervention
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Human Ghrelin: A Gastric Hormone with Cardiovascular Properties
Current Pharmaceutical Design