Dietary phenolics: chemistry, bioavailability and effects on health.

The current interest in polyphenols has been driven primarily by epidemiological studies. However, to establish conclusive evidence for the effectiveness of dietary polyphenols in disease prevention, it is useful to better define the bioavailability of the polyphenols, so that their biological activity can be evaluated. The bioavailability appears to differ greatly among the various phenolic compounds, and the most abundant ones in our diet are not necessarily those that have the best bioavailability profile. In the present review, we focus on the factors influencing the bioavailability of the polyphenols. Moreover, a critical overview on the difficulties and the controversies of the studies on the bioavailability is discussed.

Bioavailability of the polyphenols: status and controversies.

The intestinal microbiome plays an important role in the metabolism of chemical compounds found within food. Bacterial metabolites are different from those that can be generated by human enzymes because bacterial processes occur under anaerobic conditions and are based mainly on reactions of reduction and/or hydrolysis. In most cases, bacterial metabolism reduces the activity of dietary compounds; however, sometimes a specific product of bacterial transformation exhibits enhanced properties. Studies on the metabolism of polyphenols by the intestinal microbiota are crucial for understanding the role of these compounds and their impact on our health. This review article presents possible pathways of polyphenol metabolism by intestinal bacteria and describes the diet-derived bioactive metabolites produced by gut microbiota, with a particular emphasis on polyphenols and their potential impact on human health. Because the etiology of many diseases is largely correlated with the intestinal microbiome, a balance between the host immune system and the commensal gut microbiota is crucial for maintaining health. Diet-related and age-related changes in the human intestinal microbiome and their consequences are summarized in the paper.

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Interaction of dietary compounds, especially polyphenols, with the intestinal microbiota: a review

Equol, first isolated from equine urine in 1932 and identified 50 years later in human urine as a metabolite of the soy isoflavones, daidzin and daidzein, is produced by intestinal bacteria in some, but not all, adults. This observation led to the term equol-producers to define those adults that could make equol in response to consuming soy isoflavones and the hypothesis that the health benefits of soy-based diets may be greater in equol-producers than in equol nonproducers. By virtue of a chiral center, equol occurs as a diastereoisomer and intestinal bacteria are enantiospecific in synthesizing exclusively the S-(-)equol enantiomer, an enantiomer that has selective affinity for the estrogen receptor-β. Both enantiomers are of interest from a clinical and pharmacological perspective and are currently being developed as nutraceutical and pharmacological agents. The wide range of biological activities these enantiomers possess warrants their investigation for the treatment of a number of hormone-related conditions involving estrogen-dependent and androgen-related conditions. The following review describes the history, chemistry, and factors governing the intestinal bacterial formation of equol.

Equol: History, Chemistry, and Formation

Plant foods contain substantial amounts of phenolic compounds. Dietary interventions with phenolic supplementation show that phenolic compounds are transformed into phenolic acids or lactone structures by intestinal microbiota. The colon is the main site of microbial fermentation. The metabolites circulate in plasma and are excreted via urine. The entero-hepatic circulation ensures that their residence time in plasma is extended compared to that of their parent compounds. Thus these metabolites may exert systemic effects, which however have not been studied adequately. In particular the health implications of microbial metabolites of flavonoids, mostly phenolic acids, are unknown. This review aims to elucidate the microbial metabolism of most of the phenolic classes: flavonoids, isoflavonoids, lignans, phenolic acids and tannins. Some examples of biological activity studies of flavonoid and lignan metabolites are given. Biological significance of enterolactone, a mammalian plant lignan metabolite, has been studied quite extensively, but convincing evidence of the health benefits of the diverse pool of microbial metabolites is still scarce. Hopefully, novel tools in systems biology and the constant search for biomarkers will elucidate the role of the phenolic metabolome in health and in the prevention of chronic diseases. In conclusion, the colon is not only an excretion route, but also an active site of metabolism and deserves further attention from the scientific community.

Microbial metabolism of dietary phenolic compounds in the colon

S-Equol, a potent ligand for estrogen receptor β, is the exclusive enantiomeric form of the soy isoflavone metabolite produced by human intestinal bacterial flora

Linda Nechemias-Zimmer

Papers

S-Equol, a potent ligand for estrogen receptor β, is the exclusive enantiomeric form of the soy isoflavone metabolite produced by human intestinal bacterial flora