Potential beneficial effects of butyrate in intestinal and extraintestinal diseases

作者：Roberto Berni Canani · 发表于：World Journal of Gastroenterology · 年份：2011 · DOI：10.3748/wjg.v17.i12.1519 · 被引用次数：1398 · 研究领域：Helicobacter pylori-related gastroenterology studies、Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology、Diet and metabolism studies

The multiple beneficial effects on human health of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, synthesized from non-absorbed carbohydrate by colonic microbiota, are well documented. At the intestinal level, butyrate plays a regulatory role on the transepithelial fluid transport, ameliorates mucosal inflammation and oxidative status, reinforces the epithelial defense barrier, and modulates visceral sensitivity and intestinal motility. In addition, a growing number of studies have stressed the role of butyrate in the prevention and inhibition of colorectal cancer. At the extraintestinal level, butyrate exerts potentially useful effects on many conditions, including hemoglobinopathies, genetic metabolic diseases, hypercholesterolemia, insulin resistance, and ischemic stroke. The mechanisms of action of butyrate are different; many of these are related to its potent regulatory effects on gene expression. These data suggest a wide spectrum of positive effects exerted by butyrate, with a high potential for a therapeutic use in human medicine.