RESUMO

Plant-derived (poly)phenolic compounds have been undoubtedly shown to promote endocrine homeostasis through the improvement of diverse metabolic outcomes. Amongst diverse potential mechanisms, the prebiotic modulatory effects exerted by these compounds on the gut microbiota have supported their nutraceutical application in both experimental and clinical approaches. However, the comprehension of the microbiota modulatory patterns observed upon (poly)phenol-based dietary interventions is still in its infancy, which makes the standardization of the metabolic outcomes in response to a given (poly)phenol a herculean task. Thus, this narrative review sought to gather up-to-date information on the relationship among (poly)phenols intake, their modulatory effect on the gut microbiota diversity, and consequent metabolic outcomes as a supportive tool for the future design of experimental approaches and even clinical trials.

Assuntos

Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Microbiota , Microbioma Gastrointestinal/fisiologia , Fenol , Fenóis/metabolismo , Fenóis/farmacologia , Prebióticos

RESUMO

The gut microbiota has been extensively investigated during the last decade because of its effects on host neuroendocrine pathways and other processes. The imbalance between beneficial and pathogenic bacteria, known as dysbiosis, may be a determining predisposing factor for many noncommunicable chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease. On the other hand, interventions aiming to reestablish the balance between microbiota components have been suggested as potential preventive therapeutic strategies against these disorders. Among these interventions, dietary supplementation with (poly)phenols has been highlighted due to the modulatory effects exerted by those compounds on the gut microbiota. In addition, (poly)phenol consumption is associated with increased production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), a set of microbial metabolites whose actions are ascribed to improving the abovementioned metabolic disorders. Thus, this review discusses the modulation of the gut microbiota by prebiotic (poly)phenols based on in vivo studies performed with isolated (poly)phenolic compounds, their interaction with the gut microbiota and the production of SCFAs in pursuit of the molecular mechanisms underlying the health effects of (poly)phenols on host metabolism.