Marine Compounds and Human Intestinal Health

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 16161

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Guest Editor
Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 49112, Republic of Korea
Interests: functional food; lipid nutrition; brain function; N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; nutraceuticals
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is generally accepted that the gastrointestinal microbiota composition is associated with human intestinal health. Many studies suggest that disturbed gut microflora may affect the function of the mucosal immune system and may ultimately result in intestinal inflammation. In addition, it has been well known that there is a relationship between the gut microbiome and neurological function, according to the “gut-brain axis” paradigm. Research on gut microbiota has also shown that food ingredients modulate the composition and function of the microbe community in humans and other animals. In this Special Issue of Marine Drugs, you are invited to submit recent advances in the research area of marine-derived food ingredients and microbiome composition, as well as studies related to the connection of microbiome and metabolic (e.g., obesity, diabetes, hypertension etc.) and neurological diseases (e.g., Alzheimer, dementia, Parkinson disease, memory/learning disability etc.). We also welcome research on the role of microbiota metabolites in protecting human health, clinical studies and trials in these areas, as well as research on developing new nutraceuticals, and therapeutic agents.

Dr. Sun Young Lim
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Marine compounds
  • Nutrition
  • Microbiome
  • Intestinal health
  • Inflammation
  • Metabolic disease
  • Neurological disease

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3432 KiB  
Article
Stereochemical Determination of Fistularins Isolated from the Marine Sponge Ecionemia acervus and Their Regulatory Effect on Intestinal Inflammation
by Yeong Kwang Ji, Seon Min Lee, Na-Hyun Kim, Nguyen Van Tu, Yun Na Kim, Jeong Doo Heo, Eun Ju Jeong and Jung-Rae Rho
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(3), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19030170 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2479
Abstract
By activity-guided fractionation based on inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), six fistularin compounds (16) were isolated from the marine sponge Ecionemia acervus (order Astrophorida). Based on stereochemical structure determination using Mosher’s method, fistularin-3 [...] Read more.
By activity-guided fractionation based on inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), six fistularin compounds (16) were isolated from the marine sponge Ecionemia acervus (order Astrophorida). Based on stereochemical structure determination using Mosher’s method, fistularin-3 was assigned as a new stereoisomer. On the basis of the stereochemistry of fistularin-3, the stereochemical homogeneity of all six compounds was established by comparing carbon and proton chemical shifts. For fistularin-1 (1) and -2 (2), quantum calculations were performed to confirm their stereochemistry. In a co-culture system of human epithelial Caco-2 cells and THP-1 macrophages, all six isolated compounds showed potent anti-inflammatory activities. These bioactive fistularins inhibited the production of NO, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 induced by lipopolysaccharide and interferon gamma. Inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression and MAPK phosphorylation were downregulated in response to the inhibition of NF-κB nuclear translocation. Among the compounds tested, fistularin-1 (1) and 19-deoxyfistularin-3 (4) showed the highest activity. These findings suggest the potential use of the marine sponge E. acervus and its metabolites as pharmaceuticals for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases including inflammatory bowel disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Compounds and Human Intestinal Health)
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17 pages, 3778 KiB  
Article
Preventive Effect of Depolymerized Sulfated Galactans from Eucheuma serra on Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-Caused Diarrhea via Modulating Intestinal Flora in Mice
by Yu Ma, Qian Zhang, Wenqiang Liu, Zhaohua Chen, Chao Zou, Linglin Fu, Yanbo Wang and Yixiang Liu
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(2), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19020080 - 1 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2983
Abstract
In this work, the preventive effect of depolymerized sulfated polysaccharides from Eucheuma serra (DESP) on bacterial diarrhea by regulating intestinal flora was investigated in vivo. Based on the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-infected mouse diarrhea model, DESP at doses ranging from 50 mg/kg to [...] Read more.
In this work, the preventive effect of depolymerized sulfated polysaccharides from Eucheuma serra (DESP) on bacterial diarrhea by regulating intestinal flora was investigated in vivo. Based on the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-infected mouse diarrhea model, DESP at doses ranging from 50 mg/kg to 200 mg/kg alleviated weight loss and decreased the diarrhea rate and diarrhea index. Serological tests showed that the levels of inflammation-related factors were effectively suppressed. Furthermore, the repaired intestinal mucosa was verified by morphology and pathological tissue section observations. Compared with the model group, the richness and diversity of the intestinal flora in the DESP group increased according to the 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing of the gut microbiota. Specifically, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria increased, and Proteobacteria decreased after DESP administration. At the family level, DESP effectively improved the abundance of Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, while significantly inhibiting the growth of Enterobacteriaceae. Therefore, the antimicrobial diarrhea function of DESP may be related to the regulation of intestinal microbiota. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Compounds and Human Intestinal Health)
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Review

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13 pages, 1224 KiB  
Review
Fucoidans and Bowel Health
by Jin-Young Yang and Sun Young Lim
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(8), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19080436 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4022
Abstract
Fucoidans are cell wall polysaccharides found in various species of brown seaweeds. They are fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides (FCSPs) and comprise 5–20% of the algal dry weight. Fucoidans possess multiple bioactivities, including antioxidant, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-lipidemic, anti-metastatic, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects. Dietary [...] Read more.
Fucoidans are cell wall polysaccharides found in various species of brown seaweeds. They are fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides (FCSPs) and comprise 5–20% of the algal dry weight. Fucoidans possess multiple bioactivities, including antioxidant, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-lipidemic, anti-metastatic, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects. Dietary fucoidans provide small but constant amounts of FCSPs to the intestinal tract, which can reorganize the composition of commensal microbiota altered by FCSPs, and consequently control inflammation symptoms in the intestine. Although the bioactivities of fucoidans have been well described, there is limited evidence to implicate their effect on gut microbiota and bowel health. In this review, we summarize the recent studies that introduce the fundamental characteristics of various kinds of fucoidans and discuss their potential in altering commensal microorganisms and influencing intestinal diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Compounds and Human Intestinal Health)
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29 pages, 3093 KiB  
Review
Marine Natural Products: Promising Candidates in the Modulation of Gut-Brain Axis towards Neuroprotection
by Sajad Fakhri, Akram Yarmohammadi, Mostafa Yarmohammadi, Mohammad Hosein Farzaei and Javier Echeverria
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(3), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19030165 - 19 Mar 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5797
Abstract
In recent decades, several neuroprotective agents have been provided in combating neuronal dysfunctions; however, no effective treatment has been found towards the complete eradication of neurodegenerative diseases. From the pathophysiological point of view, growing studies are indicating a bidirectional relationship between gut and [...] Read more.
In recent decades, several neuroprotective agents have been provided in combating neuronal dysfunctions; however, no effective treatment has been found towards the complete eradication of neurodegenerative diseases. From the pathophysiological point of view, growing studies are indicating a bidirectional relationship between gut and brain termed gut-brain axis in the context of health/disease. Revealing the gut-brain axis has survived new hopes in the prevention, management, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Accordingly, introducing novel alternative therapies in regulating the gut-brain axis seems to be an emerging concept to pave the road in fighting neurodegenerative diseases. Growing studies have developed marine-derived natural products as hopeful candidates in a simultaneous targeting of gut-brain dysregulated mediators towards neuroprotection. Of marine natural products, carotenoids (e.g., fucoxanthin, and astaxanthin), phytosterols (e.g., fucosterol), polysaccharides (e.g., fucoidan, chitosan, alginate, and laminarin), macrolactins (e.g., macrolactin A), diterpenes (e.g., lobocrasol, excavatolide B, and crassumol E) and sesquiterpenes (e.g., zonarol) have shown to be promising candidates in modulating gut-brain axis. The aforementioned marine natural products are potential regulators of inflammatory, apoptotic, and oxidative stress mediators towards a bidirectional regulation of the gut-brain axis. The present study aims at describing the gut-brain axis, the importance of gut microbiota in neurological diseases, as well as the modulatory role of marine natural products towards neuroprotection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Compounds and Human Intestinal Health)
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