Microbial equol production attenuates colonic methanogenesis and sulphidogenesis in vitro.

Abstract

Hydrogen gas produced during colonic fermentation is excreted in breath and flatus, or removed by hydrogen-consuming bacteria such as methanogens and sulphate-reducing bacteria. However, recent research has shown that H2 is also consumed by equol-producing bacteria during the reduction of daidzein into equol. In this study, the interactions between methanogens, sulphate-reducing, and equol-producing bacteria were investigated under in vitro simulated intestinal conditions. In the presence of daidzein, the equol-producing bacterial consortium EPC4 gave rise to equol production in cultures of Methanobrevibacter smithii or Desulfovibrio sp. as well as in faecal samples with methanogenic or sulphate-reducing abilities. Moreover, this supplementation significantly (P<0.001) decreased the methanogenesis and sulphidogenesis. The attenuation did not occur in the absence of a daidzein source. Additionally, there was no influence of soy germ powder, daidzein or equol as such, excluding a possible inhibition by these compounds. Finally, a stronger decrease was observed with increasing amounts of EPC4 and a constant equol production, suggesting that the observed effect was only partly caused by the action of daidzein as a hydrogen sink. These findings are of relevance since abdominal discomfort such as bloating and flatulence, are related to colonic gas production, whereas equol has potential health benefits.

• Authors: Selin Bolca, Willy Verstraete
• Journal: Anaerobe (Anaerobe) Vol. 16 Issue 3 Pg. 247-52 (Jun 2010) ISSN: 1095-8274 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 20298796 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• 4',7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisoflavone
• Culture Media
• Isoflavones
• Sulfides
• Equol
• daidzein
• Hydrogen
• Methane

Topics

• Colon (metabolism, microbiology)
• Culture Media
• Desulfovibrio (metabolism)
• Enterococcus faecium (growth & development, metabolism)
• Equol
• Euryarchaeota (growth & development, metabolism)
• Feces (microbiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Hydrogen (metabolism)
• Isoflavones (biosynthesis, metabolism)
• Lactobacillus (growth & development, metabolism)
• Methane (metabolism)
• Methanobrevibacter (growth & development, metabolism)
• Middle Aged
• Sulfides (metabolism)
• Veillonella (growth & development, metabolism)