Interaction between gut microbiota and ethnomedicine constituents

Abstract

Covering: 2000 to 2018 (October)

Trillions of microbes, collectively termed as gut microbiota, reside in the gastrointestinal tract and are involved in the physiology of their hosts. In humans, disease incidence and medical therapy are found to be associated with gut microbiota composition. Since ethnomedicines are largely plant-derived and orally ingested, this review summarizes the interactions of gut microbiota with ethnomedicine constituents (overwhelmingly, natural phytochemicals) to highlight the knowledge accumulation in (1) the modulation of the gut microbiota profile by ingested natural compounds, and (2) the gut microbial conversion of natural products into the ‘daughter molecules’ with potent bioactivities. By understanding such complex interactions of gut microbiota with ethnomedicines and/or the phytochemicals thereof, a fascinating frontier of natural-product chemistry may be substantially activated to conceptualize future therapeutic strategies.