Natural Compounds from Plant: Microbiome-targeted Therapeutic Strategy for Gastrointestinal Disorders

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About this Research Topic

Submission deadlines

  1. Manuscript Submission Deadline 1 March 2025

  2. This Research Topic is still accepting articles.

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Background

An increasing number of people are suffering from gastrointestinal disorders (GIDs) due to unhealthy diet habits and the stress of the fast pace of modern life. Most of these people will be characterized as having a gastrointestinal disorder, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation or colorectal cancer (CRC). The gut microbiota has adapted to the host environment during the long-time evolution and plays an important role in host metabolism and health, including procuring energy from food, regulating host immunity, and preventing the colonization of pathogens. Numerous studies have indicated the associations between GIDs and the intestinal microbiome, and mounting evidence has suggested that gut microbial imbalance (dysbiosis) is a core pathophysiology in the development of GIDs.

Dietary interventions are enjoying a renaissance in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) management due to the clear clue between diet intervention and gut microbiota shaping. Among these, a plant-source bio-compounds enriched diet is an important therapeutic option for functional GID, which has a long tradition, with different approaches in different regions of the world, some of which have made their way into modern evidence-based medicine. Plant natural products are a plethora of diverse and complex molecules produced by the plant's secondary metabolism. The most well-known common products derived from plants and used in the fight against constipation, inflammation and even cancer are polyphenols/flavonoids, polysaccharides/oligosaccharides and polyunsaturated fatty acids, i.e., resveratrol, curcumin, anthocyanins, konjac glucan, inulin, α-linolenic acid, etc.

Current research has focused on discovering associations between these natural plant compounds from gastrointestinal disorders. The changes in the microbiota composition of GIDs patients with different symptoms usually varied from each other, and the metabolite changes reflected in the fecal or serum metabolome might imply the precise indicators for disease-specific mechanisms. Great efforts have been engaged in characterizing the microbiome to effectively demystify the interaction between the plant compounds or derivatives with the intestinal microenvironment including the microbiome and gastrointestinal cells as well. Various studies have reported that various plant natural products are capable to regulate the gut microbiota, indicating the potential to be used as an alternative strategy to improve gut dysbiosis and assist disease therapy or prevention. Concurrent and iterative longitudinal studies in humans and animals need to be done to investigate the precise microbial metabolites and their functions, which could be applied to address specific pathophysiological mechanisms in GIDs.

The focus of this Research Topic is to provide a platform for research into the use of plant products for various gastrointestinal disorders targeting gut microbiome restoration. Research on the minimum (synthetic) community and the interactions that are required to achieve restoration and to better understand the community responses that result in symptom remission is encouraged.

We welcome submissions including, but not limited to, the following topics:
• The regulatory mechanism of natural compounds from plants on the gut microbiome (such as promoting the beneficial bacterium or inhibiting the potential pathogen ) in the disease prevention and treatment
• Characterization of the novel protective effects of natural plant compounds or derivatives against gastrointestinal disorders
• Exploration of the protective mechanisms of natural plant compounds or derivatives from the aspects of oxidative stress, inflammatory stress, gut dysbiosis, intestinal mucosal barrier, metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.
• Exploration of the synergic effects of probiotics and natural plant compounds on host gut health and nutrition

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  • Editorial
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Article types

This Research Topic is open for submission in the following formats:

  • Brief Research Report
  • Clinical Trial
  • Data Report
  • Editorial
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion
  • Original Research
  • Perspective
  • Review
  • Study Protocol
  • Systematic Review
  • Technology and Code

Keywords: gastrointestinal disorders, natural compounds, microbiome

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