Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant carcinomas. CRC is characterized by asymptomatic onset, and most patients are already in the middle and advanced stages of disease when they are diagnosed. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the inflammatory-cancer transformation of advanced colorectal adenoma are the main causes of CRC. There is an urgent need for effective prevention and intervention strategies for CRC. In recent years, rapid research progress has increased our understanding of gut microbiota. Meanwhile, with the deepening of research on the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, gut microbiota has been confirmed to play a direct role in the occurrence and treatment of colorectal cancer. Strategies to regulate the gut microbiota have potential value for application in the prevention and treatment of CRC. Regulation of gut microbiota is one of the important ways for natural products to exert pharmacological effects, especially in the treatment of metabolic diseases and tumours. This review summarizes the role of gut microbiota in colorectal tumorigenesis and the mechanism by which natural products reduce tumorigenesis and improve therapeutic response. We point out that the regulation of gut microbiota by natural products may serve as a potential means of treatment and prevention of CRC.

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New insights into natural products that target the gut microbiota: Effects on the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer

Anthocyanins are mainly purple-coloured phenolic compounds of plant origin that as secondary metabolites are important in plant survival. Understanding their health benefits in humans requires sourcing these unstable compounds in sufficient quantities at a reasonable cost, which has led to improved methods of extraction. Dark-coloured fruits, cereals and vegetables are current sources of these compounds. The range of potential sustainable sources is much larger and includes non-commercialised native plants from around the world and agri-waste containing anthocyanins. In the last 5 years, there have been significant advances in developing the therapeutic potential of anthocyanins in chronic human diseases. Anthocyanins exert their beneficial effects through improvements in gut microbiota, oxidative stress and inflammation, and modulation of neuropeptides such as insulin-like growth factor-1. Their health benefits in humans include reduced cognitive decline; protection of organs such as the liver, as well as the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys; improvements in bone health and obesity; and regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. This review summarises some of the sources of anthocyanins and their mechanisms and benefits in the treatment of chronic human diseases.

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Anthocyanins in Chronic Diseases: The Power of Purple

Metabolic disorders, mainly characterized as the marked alteration of the lipid and carbohydrate profile, in addition to the clinical presence of the direct consequences of these alterations, are pathological conditions that have considerably increased in prevalence in recent years. They are directly linked to the onset of various pathologies, including cancer, particularly breast cancer, and are hormone-responsive. Alongside the known conditions responsible for this scenario, such as nutrition and lifestyle in general, the importance of both the colonic microbiota and the various organs and systems is becoming increasingly evident. In fact, it is now evident that microbial dysbiosis plays a fundamental role in the onset of these metabolic disorders, and therefore how these conditions are indirectly responsible for the onset and progression of neoplasms. Indirect mechanisms such as an altered Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio; the formation of metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), in particular, butyrate, which is capable of acting as a tumor suppressor; and the glucuronidase activity of estroboloma (bacteria responsible for estrogen metabolism) are just some of the most important mechanisms that contribute to the history of breast cancer. It is therefore understandable that in clinical terms, it is essential to associate the modulation of metabolic disorders and the microbial conditions that contribute to generating them with common therapies, preferably using compounds and solutions that are effective and acceptable for the patient without side effects. Nutraceuticals such as berberine (active both in metabolic scenarios and in the microbiota) and interventions modulating the microbial structure such as the use of probiotics and prebiotics seem to be ideal solutions for these preventive and no-longer-ignorable strategies in the light of numerous data now present in the literature.

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Gut Microbiota, Metabolic Disorders and Breast Cancer: Could Berberine Turn Out to Be a Transversal Nutraceutical Tool? A Narrative Analysis

The human gut microbiota is currently the focus of converging interest in many diseases and sports performance. This review presents gut microbiota as a real “orchestra conductor” in the host’s physio(patho)logy due to its implications in many aspects of health and disease. Reciprocally, gut microbiota composition and activity are influenced by many different factors, such as diet and physical activity. Literature data have shown that macro- and micro-nutrients influence gut microbiota composition. Cumulative data indicate that gut bacteria are sensitive to modulation by physical activity, as shown by studies using training and hypoactivity models. Sports performance studies have also presented interesting and promising results. Therefore, gut microbiota could be considered a “pivotal” organ for health and sports performance, leading to a new concept: the nutrition-microbiota-physical activity triad. The next challenge for the scientific and medical communities is to test this concept in clinical studies. The long-term aim is to find the best combination of the three elements of this triad to optimize treatments, delay disease onset, or enhance sports performance. The many possibilities offered by biotic supplementation and training modalities open different avenues for future research.

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The Nutrition-Microbiota-Physical Activity Triad: An Inspiring New Concept for Health and Sports Performance

Gut microbiota: a new avenue to reveal pathological mechanisms of constipation

The gut microbiota is a crucial factor in maintaining homeostasis. The presence of commensal microorganisms leads to the stimulation of the immune system and its maturation. In turn, dysbiosis with an impaired intestinal barrier leads to accelerated contact of microbiota with the host's immune cells. Microbial structural parts, i.e., pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), such as flagellin (FLG), peptidoglycan (PGN), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), induce inflammation via activation of pattern recognition receptors. Microbial metabolites can also develop chronic low-grade inflammation, which is the cause of many metabolic diseases. This article aims to systematize information on the influence of microbiota on chronic inflammation and the benefits of microbiota modification through dietary changes, prebiotics, and probiotic intake. Scientific research indicates that the modification of the microbiota in various disease states can reduce inflammation and improve the metabolic profile. However, since there is no pattern for a healthy microbiota, there is no optimal way to modify it. The methods of influencing microbiota should be adapted to the type of dysbiosis. Although there are studies on the microbiota and its effects on inflammation, this subject is still relatively unknown, and more research is needed in this area.

Sylwia Czaja-Stolc

Papers

Intestinal Microbiota as a Contributor to Chronic Inflammation and Its Potential Modifications.