Gastrointestinal (GI)-hormones such as motilin, gastrin, cholecystokinin (CCK), secretin undergo synthesis in specialized cells of the GI-tract mucosa known as enteroendocrine cells. These chemical messengers are involved in various aspects of physiological functions of the gastrointestinal tract, including the regulation of secretion, absorption and digestion, and gut motility. The gut hormones also play pleiotropic and important roles in maintaining health and are key signals involved in the gut-brain axis. Recently, it has been shown that microbiota-related gut hormones may modulate various GI-physiological functions. Furthermore, functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID), the main causes of human unhealthy, are common public health problems throughout the world. FGID is very common with a worldwide prevalence of 40%, more common in women than men and this decreases with age.
FGID poses a huge economic burden and treating them cost the NHS at least £72.3 million in the year 2014/2015, of which, two-thirds were on prescriptions, community care, and hospital treatment. Importantly, recent studies showed that FGID including functional constipation, chronic diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, gastroparesis, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and colorectal cancer were much more common in individuals with diabetes, especially diarrhea and constipation, which were twice as likely in those with type 2 diabetes. These both FGIDs can reflect intestinal dysfunction, especially with regard to intestinal microbiota, which, in turn, have been associated with chronic conditions, including obesity and insulin resistance.
Natural bioactive compounds deal with the latest advancements made in the field of screening, characterization, and novel applications of natural bioactive compounds from diverse groups of organisms ranging from algae, fungi, insects, medicinal plants, and fishes. An important variety of these natural bioproducts have attracted more attention in order to investigate their applications and functions, which facilitate their use as food ingredients or bioactive compounds in food and natural health products and pharmaceutical fields.
Future studies could target the microbiota-hormones-gut axis to develop novel therapeutic strategies for different gastrointestinal disorders their associated disruptions such as obesity, diabetes and colon cancer.
With this article collection, we welcome original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles mainly focusing, but not limited to, on the following themes:
- Screening and application of natural bioactive compounds targeting FGID,
- New therapeutic advances for FGID,
- Studies focusing the relationship between FGID and metabolic disorders,
- Targeting the microbiota-hormones-gut axis as therapeutic strategy.
Gastrointestinal (GI)-hormones such as motilin, gastrin, cholecystokinin (CCK), secretin undergo synthesis in specialized cells of the GI-tract mucosa known as enteroendocrine cells. These chemical messengers are involved in various aspects of physiological functions of the gastrointestinal tract, including the regulation of secretion, absorption and digestion, and gut motility. The gut hormones also play pleiotropic and important roles in maintaining health and are key signals involved in the gut-brain axis. Recently, it has been shown that microbiota-related gut hormones may modulate various GI-physiological functions. Furthermore, functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID), the main causes of human unhealthy, are common public health problems throughout the world. FGID is very common with a worldwide prevalence of 40%, more common in women than men and this decreases with age.
FGID poses a huge economic burden and treating them cost the NHS at least £72.3 million in the year 2014/2015, of which, two-thirds were on prescriptions, community care, and hospital treatment. Importantly, recent studies showed that FGID including functional constipation, chronic diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, gastroparesis, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and colorectal cancer were much more common in individuals with diabetes, especially diarrhea and constipation, which were twice as likely in those with type 2 diabetes. These both FGIDs can reflect intestinal dysfunction, especially with regard to intestinal microbiota, which, in turn, have been associated with chronic conditions, including obesity and insulin resistance.
Natural bioactive compounds deal with the latest advancements made in the field of screening, characterization, and novel applications of natural bioactive compounds from diverse groups of organisms ranging from algae, fungi, insects, medicinal plants, and fishes. An important variety of these natural bioproducts have attracted more attention in order to investigate their applications and functions, which facilitate their use as food ingredients or bioactive compounds in food and natural health products and pharmaceutical fields.
Future studies could target the microbiota-hormones-gut axis to develop novel therapeutic strategies for different gastrointestinal disorders their associated disruptions such as obesity, diabetes and colon cancer.
With this article collection, we welcome original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles mainly focusing, but not limited to, on the following themes:
- Screening and application of natural bioactive compounds targeting FGID,
- New therapeutic advances for FGID,
- Studies focusing the relationship between FGID and metabolic disorders,
- Targeting the microbiota-hormones-gut axis as therapeutic strategy.
