The Influence of Polyphenol Compounds on Human
Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiota
Michał Wicinski 1, Jakub Gebalski 1,*, Ewelina Mazurek 1, Marta Podhorecka 2 ,Maciej Sniegocki 3, Paweł Szychta 4, Ewelina Sawicka 1 and Bartosz Malinowski 1
1 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 85–090 Bydgoszcz, Poland; michal.wicinski@cm.umk.pl (E.W.); ewelhan@gmail.com (E.M.); ewelina.sawicka@cm.umk.pl (E.S.); bartosz.malinowski@cm.umk.pl (B.M.)
2 Department of Geriatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 85–090 Bydgoszcz, Poland; marta.podhorecka@cm.umk.pl
3 Department of Neurosurgery, Neurotraumatology and Paediatric Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 85–090 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
sniegocki.m@gmail.com
4 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 85–090 Bydgoszcz, Poland; drszychta@gmail.com
* Correspondence: jakubgebalski@gmail.com
Received: 29 December 2019; Accepted: 26 January 2020; Published: 29 January 2020
Abstract
Background—Polyphenols form a diverse group of compounds containing at least two hydroxyl groups in their chemical structure. Because of the common presence in plant kingdom, polyphenols are considered a significant component of food and an important group of compounds with antioxidant properties. The absorption of polyphenols present in food depends mostly on the activity of intestinal microflora. However, little is known about the processes and interactions responsible for such phenomenon in guts ecosystem. There are only few available publications that examine the effect on polyphenols on intestinal microbiota. Therefore, this work will focus on describing the relationship between polyphenol compounds present in food and bacteria colonizing the intestines, their mechanism, and impact on human’s health.
Keywords
polyphenols; gut microbiota; probiotics; antioxidants
