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IJERPH
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The Gut Microbiota and Human Health
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The Gut Microbiota and Human Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 9908

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Peter C. Konturek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Thuringia Clinic Saalfeld, Teaching Hospital of the University of jena, 07318 Saalfeld, Germany
Interests: irritable bowel syndrome; gut microbiota; food intolerance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the words of Hippocrates, “all diseases begin in the gut.” In recent decades, our understanding of gut microbiota has been revolutionized by the advances in molecular technology. Nowadays, gut microbiota are considered the most densely populated and diverse microbial communities in humans. Up to 100 trillion microorganisms colonize the intestinal tract and play a central role in the development of the immune system, the defence against pathogens, and the metabolism. The perturbation of gut microbiota, termed dysbiosis, is induced by antibiotics, a Westernized diet, exposure to stress, the aging process, hygienic issues, and other factors, and is responsible for the development of diseases both inside and outside of the gut. Recently, the pathogenesis of functional and inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease), multiple sclerosis (MS), metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), systemic inflammatory arthritis, and allergic diseases have been reported to be related to gut microbial dysbiosis.

On these grounds, in this Special Issue of IJERPH, we welcome research articles, reviews, and communications based on the most recent advances in the study of the role of gut microbiota in health and disease.

Prof. Peter C. Konturek
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut microbiota
  • dysbiosis
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • extraintestinal manifestations of gut dysbiosis
  • leaky gut
  • microbiota based therapies

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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7 pages, 475 KiB  
Article
Beverage Consumption and Ulcerative Colitis: A Case-Control Study from Saudi Arabia
by Anas Almofarreh, Haytham A. Sheerah, Ahmed Arafa, Shaik Shaffi Ahamed, Osama Alzeer, Weiam Al-Hunaishi, Mohamed Ma Mhimed, Ali Al-Hazmi and Sin How Lim
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2287; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042287 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2011
Abstract
Background: The association between beverage intake and ulcerative colitis (UC) is not well-established, with no available data from Arab countries. Herein, we investigated the potential association of consuming coffee, tea, and carbonated soft drinks with UC among a population from Saudi Arabia. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: The association between beverage intake and ulcerative colitis (UC) is not well-established, with no available data from Arab countries. Herein, we investigated the potential association of consuming coffee, tea, and carbonated soft drinks with UC among a population from Saudi Arabia. Methods: This hospital-based case-control study used data of 171 newly diagnosed UC patients and 400 patients with other gastrointestinal conditions who served as controls. All UC cases were ascertained by endoscopy, while beverage intake was assessed by a questionnaire that was completed before diagnosis. We computed odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of UC and UC extension for frequent versus infrequent intakes of coffee, tea, and carbonated soft drinks using logistic regression. Results: Overall, 23.4% of UC patients had pancolitis, 21.1% extensive, 51.4% left-sided, and 4.1% proctitis. UC patients had a similar sex distribution to the controls but were older and had a lower BMI. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking history, frequent intakes of coffee and tea were associated with lower odds of UC: 0.62 (0.42, 0.91) and 0.53 (0.35, 0.79), respectively. On the other hand, frequent intakes of carbonated soft drinks were associated with increased odds of UC: 9.82 (6.12, 15.76). The frequency of beverage consumption was not associated with UC extension. Conclusion: UC was negatively associated with frequent coffee and tea consumption but positively associated with frequent carbonated soft drink intake in Saudi people. More population-based prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm our findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gut Microbiota and Human Health)
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Review

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16 pages, 3059 KiB  
Review
Gut Microbiome: The Interplay of an “Invisible Organ” with Herbal Medicine and Its Derived Compounds in Chronic Metabolic Disorders
by Dong-Woo Lim and Jing-Hua Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13076; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013076 - 11 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2056
Abstract
Resembling a concealed “organ” in a holobiont, trillions of gut microbes play complex roles in the maintenance of homeostasis, including participating in drug metabolism. The conventional opinion is that most of any drug is metabolized by the host and that individual differences are [...] Read more.
Resembling a concealed “organ” in a holobiont, trillions of gut microbes play complex roles in the maintenance of homeostasis, including participating in drug metabolism. The conventional opinion is that most of any drug is metabolized by the host and that individual differences are principally due to host genetic factors. However, current evidence indicates that only about 60% of the individual differences in drug metabolism are attributable to host genetics. Although most common chemical drugs regulate the gut microbiota, the gut microbiota is also known to be involved in drug metabolism, like the host. Interestingly, many traditional herbal medicines and derived compounds are biotransformed by gut microbiota, manipulating the compounds’ effects. Accordingly, the gut microbiota and its specified metabolic pathways can be deemed a promising target for promoting drug efficacy and safety. However, the evidence regarding causality and the corresponding mechanisms concerning gut microbiota and drug metabolism remains insufficient, especially regarding drugs used to treat metabolic disorders. Therefore, the present review aims to comprehensively summarize the bidirectional roles of gut microbiota in the effects of herbal medicine in metabolic diseases to provide vital clues for guiding the clinical application of precision medicine and personalized drug development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gut Microbiota and Human Health)
15 pages, 424 KiB  
Review
Changes in the Gut Microbiome and Pathologies in Pregnancy
by Kamila Gorczyca, Aleksandra Obuchowska, Żaneta Kimber-Trojnar, Magdalena Wierzchowska-Opoka and Bożena Leszczyńska-Gorzelak
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 9961; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169961 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4826
Abstract
Pregnancy is a special period in a woman’s life when her organism undergoes multiple physiological changes so that the fetus has optimal conditions for growth and development. These include modifications in the composition of the microbiome that occur between the first and third [...] Read more.
Pregnancy is a special period in a woman’s life when her organism undergoes multiple physiological changes so that the fetus has optimal conditions for growth and development. These include modifications in the composition of the microbiome that occur between the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. There is an increase in Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, and Firmicutes, which have been associated with an increase in the need for energy storage. The growth in Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria levels has a protective effect on both the mother and the fetus via proinflammatory mechanisms. The aim of the study is to review the research on the relationship between the mother’s intestinal microbiome and gestational pathologies. Changes in the maternal gut microbiome is probably one of the mechanisms that occurs in various pregnancy diseases such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, gestational diabetes mellitus, excessive gestational weight gain, and premature birth. For this reason, it seems vital to pay attention to certain interventions that can benefit the affected patients both in the short term, by preventing complications during pregnancy, and in the long term, as one of the mechanisms occurring in various gestational diseases is dysbiosis of the maternal intestinal flora. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Gut Microbiota and Human Health)
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