Cited by 560Probiotics and Fermented FoodsMicrobial Metabolites in Food BiotechnologyGut microbiota and health

Protective role of probiotics and prebiotics in colon cancer

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Wollowski, Ingrid, Rechkemmer, Gerhard, Pool-Zobel, Beatrice L·2001·The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Abstract

Ingestion of viable probiotics or prebiotics is associated with anticarcinogenic effects, one mechanism of which is the detoxification of genotoxins in the gut. This mechanism was shown experimentally in animals with use of the rat colon carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine and by determining endpoints that range from tumorigenesis to induction of DNA damage. Because of the complexity of cancer initiation, cancer progression, and the exposure of cancer in the gut, many types of interactions may be envisaged. Notably, some of our newer studies showed that short-lived metabolite mixtures isolated from milk that was fermented with strains of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are more effective in deactivating etiologic risk factors of colon carcinogenesis than are cellular components of microorganisms. Ingestion of prebiotics results in a different spectrum of fermentation products, including the production of high concentrations of short-chain fatty acids. Gut flora, especially after the ingestion of resistant starch, induces the chemopreventive enzyme glutathione transferase pi in the colon of the rat. Together, these factors lead to a reduced load of genotoxic agents in the gut and to an increased production of agents that deactivate toxic components. Butyrate is one such protective agent and is associated with lowering cancer risk. It was recently shown that buytrate may inhibit the genotoxic activity of nitrosamides and hydrogen peroxide in human colon cells. In humans, the ingestion of probiotics leads to the excretion of urine with low concentrations of components that are genotoxic in human colon cells and high concentrations of components that induce oxidized DNA bases.

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Crossref · 10.1093/ajcn/73.2.451s

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  • Probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, produce anticancer substances.

    “Probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, produce anticancer substances [113].”

    From Marine Natural Products: A Source of Novel Anticancer Drugs (2019) · cites this paper as [113]

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Authors
Wollowski, I., Rechkemmer, G., & Pool-Zobel, B. L.
Affiliations
Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
Venue
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2001-02
Volume
73
Issue
2
Pages
451s-455s
ISSN
0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1940221461
Cited by
560
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 39 · 2012: 29
FWCI
3.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • OpenAgrar (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
Keywords
probiotics, prebiotics, colon cancer, chemoprevention, genotoxicity, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, short-chain fatty acids, butyrate, glutathione S-transferase pi, resistant starch, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, DNA damage, nitrosamides, hydrogen peroxide, gut microbiota
MeSH terms
Animals, Butyrates, Colon, Colonic Neoplasms, Disease Models, Animal, DNA Damage, Fermentation, Glutathione Transferase, Humans, Lactobacillus, Mutation, Streptococcus, Chemoprevention, Probiotics, Rats

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