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The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry Aug 2023The human gut is a host for trillions of microorganisms, divided into more than 3,000 heterogeneous species that is called the gut microbiota. The gut microbiota... (Review)
Review
The human gut is a host for trillions of microorganisms, divided into more than 3,000 heterogeneous species that is called the gut microbiota. The gut microbiota composition can be altered by many different endogenous and exogenous factors, especially diet and nutrition. A diet rich in phytoestrogens, a variable group of chemical compounds similar to 17-β-estradiol (E2), the essential female steroid sex hormone is potent to change the composition of gut microbiota. However, the metabolism of phytoestrogens also highly depends on the action of enzymes produced by gut microbiota. Novel studies have shown that phytoestrogens could play an important role in the treatment of different types of cancers, such as breast cancer in women, due to their potential to decrease estrogen levels. This review aims to summarize recent findings about the lively dialogue between phytoestrogens and gut microbiota and to address their possible future application, especially in treating patients with diagnosed breast cancer. A potential therapeutic approach for the prevention and improving outcomes in breast cancer patients could be based on targeted probiotic supplementation with the use of soy phytoestrogens. A positive effect of probiotics on the outcome and survival of patients with breast cancer has been established. However, more in vivo scientific studies are needed to pave the way for the use of probiotics and phytoestrogens in the clinical practice of breast cancer treatment.
Topics: Female; Humans; Phytoestrogens; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Estrogens; Breast Neoplasms; Biotransformation; Isoflavones
PubMed: 37100304
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2023.109368 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jan 2021Assessment of the potential therapeutic benefits offered by naturally occurring phytoestrogens necessitate inspection of their potency and sites of action in impeding... (Review)
Review
Assessment of the potential therapeutic benefits offered by naturally occurring phytoestrogens necessitate inspection of their potency and sites of action in impeding the chronic, systemic, autoimmune, joint destructing disorder Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Possessing structural and functional similarity with human estrogen, phytoestrogen promisingly replaces the use of hormone therapy in eradicating RA symptoms with their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenesis, immunomodulatory, joint protection properties abolishing the harmful side effects of synthetic drugs. Scientific evidences revealed that use of phytoestrogens from different chemical categories including flavonoids, alkaloids, stilbenoids derived from different plant species manifest beneficial effects on RA through various cellular mechanisms including suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in particular tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin(IL-6) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and destructive metalloproteinases, inhibition of oxidative stress, suppressing inflammatory signalling pathways, attenuating osteoclastogenesis ameliorating cartilage degradation and bone erosion. This review summarizes the evidences of different phytoestrogen treatment and their pharmacological mechanisms in both in vitro and in vivo studies along with discussing clinical evaluations in RA patients showing phytoestrogen as a promising agent for RA therapy. Further investigations and more clinical trials are mandatory to clarify the utility of these plant derived compounds in RA prevention and in managing oestrogen deficient diseases in patients.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antirheumatic Agents; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Inflammation Mediators; Joints; Phytoestrogens; Signal Transduction; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33254019
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111039 -
Nutrients Jul 2019Phytoestrogens are natural substances that have been extensively studied for their beneficial effect on human health. Herein, we analyzed the data of the literature on... (Review)
Review
Phytoestrogens are natural substances that have been extensively studied for their beneficial effect on human health. Herein, we analyzed the data of the literature on the role of phytoestrogens in the prevention of colorectal neoproliferative lesions (CNL). Both in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that the beneficial effects of phytoestrogens on CNL mainly depend on their ability to bind estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) in the intestinal mucosa and counter ER-alpha (ERα) activity. Epidemiological data demonstrate a correlation between the low prevalence of CNL in Eastern populations and the consumption of soy products (phytoestrogen-enriched diet). However, both observational and interventional studies have produced inconclusive results. In our opinion, these discrepancies depend on an inadequate evaluation of phytoestrogen intake (dietary questionnaires were not aimed at establishing phytoestrogen intake) and absorption (depending mainly on the intestinal microbiota of the analyzed subjects). For this reason, in the present review, we performed an overview of phytoestrogen dietary intake and metabolism to offer the reader the opportunity for a better interpretation of the literature. Future prospective trials focusing on the protective effect of phytoestrogens against CNL should take into account both their dietary intake and absorption, considering the effective role of the intestinal microbiota.
Topics: Animals; Biological Availability; Cell Proliferation; Colon; Colorectal Neoplasms; Diet, Healthy; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Nutritive Value; Phytoestrogens; Prevalence; Protective Factors; Recommended Dietary Allowances; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Risk Reduction Behavior
PubMed: 31344966
DOI: 10.3390/nu11081709 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Genistein is a natural compound belonging to flavonoids, having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neoplastic properties. Genistein is considered a phytoestrogen.... (Review)
Review
Genistein is a natural compound belonging to flavonoids, having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neoplastic properties. Genistein is considered a phytoestrogen. As such, genistein can bind estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), although with a lower affinity than that of estradiol. Despite considerable work, the effects of genistein are not well established yet. This review aims to clarify the role of genistein on female and male reproductive functions in mammals. In females, at a high dose, genistein diminishes the ovarian activity regulating several pathway molecules, such as topoisomerase isoform I and II, protein tyrosine kinases (v-src, Mek-4, ABL, PKC, Syk, EGFR, FGFR), ABC, CFTR, Glut1, Glut4, 5α-reductase, PPAR-γ, mitogen-activated protein kinase A, protein histidine kinase, and recently circulating RNA-miRNA. The effect of genistein on pregnancy is still controversial. In males, genistein exerts an estrogenic effect by inducing testosterone biosynthesis. The interaction of genistein with both natural and synthetic endocrine disruptors has a negative effect on testis function. The positive effect of genistein on sperm quality is still in debate. In conclusion, genistein has a potentially beneficial effect on the mechanisms regulating the reproduction of females and males. However, this is dependent on the dose, the species, the route, and the time of administration.
Topics: Pregnancy; Animals; Male; Female; Genistein; Semen; Phytoestrogens; Receptors, Estrogen; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Reproduction; Mammals
PubMed: 37959856
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28217436 -
Nutrients Aug 2023There is a longstanding interest in the relationship between diet and hot flash symptoms during midlife, especially in whether phytoestrogens ease menopausal symptoms....
There is a longstanding interest in the relationship between diet and hot flash symptoms during midlife, especially in whether phytoestrogens ease menopausal symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, and vaginal dryness in relation to the intake of foods rich in phytoestrogens among Bangladeshi women aged 35 to 59 years who were living either in Sylhet, Bangladesh ( = 157) or as migrants in London ( = 174). Consumption ranges for phytoestrogens were constructed from food frequencies. We hypothesized that diets rich in isoflavones, lignans, and coumestrol would be associated with lower symptom frequencies. However, adjusted logistic regression results showed that with each incremental increase in general phytoestrogen consumption (scale of 0 to 10), the likelihood of hot flashes increased by 1.4%. Each incremental increase in lignan consumption raised the likelihood of hot flashes by 1.6%. In contrast, the odds of vaginal dryness decreased by 2%, with each incremental increase in phytoestrogen and lignan consumption, and by 4%, with each incremental increase in isoflavone consumption. Night sweats and trouble sleeping were not associated with phytoestrogen intake in logistic regressions. Our findings add to the conflicting data on relationships between phytoestrogens and symptoms associated with menopause.
Topics: Humans; Female; Phytoestrogens; Bangladesh; London; Hot Flashes; Isoflavones; Lignans
PubMed: 37686708
DOI: 10.3390/nu15173676 -
Andrology Nov 2020Few potentially modifiable risk factors of male infertility have been identified, and while different diets and food groups have been associated with male infertility,...
BACKGROUND
Few potentially modifiable risk factors of male infertility have been identified, and while different diets and food groups have been associated with male infertility, evidence linking dietary factors including phytoestrogens and semen quality is limited and contradictory.
OBJECTIVES
To study the associations between phytoestrogen intake and other dietary factors and semen quality.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A case-referent study was undertaken of the male partners, of couples attempting conception with unprotected intercourse for 12 months or more without success, recruited from 14 UK assisted reproduction clinics. A total of 1907 participants completed occupational, lifestyle and dietary questionnaires before semen quality (concentration, motility and morphology) were assessed. Food intake was estimated by a 65-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) covering the 12 months prior to recruitment. Analyses of dietary risk factors for low motile sperm concentration (MSC: <4.8 × 10 /mL) and poor sperm morphology (PM: <4% normal morphology) used unconditional logistic regression, accounting for clustering of subjects within the clinics, first without, and then with, adjustment for confounders associated with that outcome.
RESULTS
High consumption of daidzein (≥13.74 μg/d), a phytoestrogen found in soy products, was a protective factor for MSC with an odds ratio (95%CI) of 0.58 (0.42-0.82) after adjustment for clustering and potential confounding. Dietary risk factors for PM after similar adjustment showed that drinking whole milk (OR 0.67, 95%CI 0.47-0.96) and eating red meat were protective with an OR 0.67 (0.46-0.99) for eating red meat >3 times/wk.
DISCUSSION
In this case-referent study of men attending an infertility clinic for fertility diagnosis, we have identified that low MSC is inversely associated with daidzein intake. In contrast, daidzein intake was not associated with PM but eating red milk and drinking whole milk were protective.
CONCLUSIONS
Dietary factors associated with semen quality were identified, suggesting that male fertility might be improved by dietary changes.
Topics: Case-Control Studies; Diet; Food Preferences; Humans; Infertility, Male; Isoflavones; Male; Meat; Phytoestrogens; Risk Factors; Semen Analysis; Soy Foods; Sperm Count; Spermatozoa; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 32649041
DOI: 10.1111/andr.12858 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 20228-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) is a prenylated flavonoid, occurring, in particular, in hop, but also in other plants. It has proven to be one of the most potent... (Review)
Review
8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) is a prenylated flavonoid, occurring, in particular, in hop, but also in other plants. It has proven to be one of the most potent phytoestrogens in vitro known to date, and in the past 20 years, research has unveiled new effects triggered by it in biological systems. These findings have aroused the hopes, expectations, and enthusiasm of a "wonder-drug" for a host of human diseases. However, the majority of 8-PN effects require such high concentrations that they cannot be reached by normal dietary exposure, only pharmacologically; thus, adverse impacts may also emerge. Here, we provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review on this fascinating compound, with special reference to the range of beneficial and untoward health consequences that may ensue from exposure to it.
Topics: Flavanones; Flavonoids; Humans; Humulus; Phytoestrogens
PubMed: 35328588
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063168 -
Brain Research Jun 2013Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds found mainly in soy with known estrogenic properties and a potential for benefits to human health. Increased intake in... (Review)
Review
Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds found mainly in soy with known estrogenic properties and a potential for benefits to human health. Increased intake in phytoestrogens stemmed from the search for safe alternatives to hormone replacement therapies. Based on epidemiologic evidence comparing Western and Asian populations and clinical studies, phytoestrogens show promise to improve health and brain function. This review is focused on the effects of phytoestrogens on cognition by examining clinical and animal studies, with special attention placed on (1) a window of therapeutic opportunity which may explain the discrepancy among studies, and (2) whether a sex/gender difference exists in response to phytoestrogen intake and what the possible underlying mechanisms may be.
Topics: Animals; Cognition; Dietary Supplements; Female; Humans; Male; Phytoestrogens; Plant Preparations; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 23415935
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.02.013 -
Discovery Medicine 2020Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been increasingly studied for antitumor activities. Icaritin, a hydrolytic product of icariin, is an effective ingredient of the... (Review)
Review
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been increasingly studied for antitumor activities. Icaritin, a hydrolytic product of icariin, is an effective ingredient of the traditional Chinese herb epimedium with multiple pharmacological activities. Among them, the antitumor activity of icaritin has been widely studied and reported in tumors both in vitro and in vivo. While its exact antitumor mechanisms await revelation, icaritin has been found to regulate several key molecules and pathways concerning cell fate, including CDK-dependent pathways, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), the serine-threonine kinase AKT, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and p53. The ability to induce cellular oxidative stress also contributes to its antitumor activity. This review outlines the results of key investigations focusing on the antitumor effects and mechanisms of icaritin.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Cell Cycle Checkpoints; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Epimedium; Flavonoids; Humans; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasms; Oxidative Stress; Phytoestrogens; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 32598859
DOI: No ID Found -
The American Journal of Clinical... Jan 2023Evidence regarding dietary phytoestrogens in relation to mortality remains limited.
BACKGROUND
Evidence regarding dietary phytoestrogens in relation to mortality remains limited.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the study is to examine the associations of intake of isoflavones, lignans, and coumarins with total and cause-specific mortality in US males and females.
METHODS
We followed 75,981 females in the Nurses' Health Study (1984-2018) and 44,001 males in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2018), who were free of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, or cancer at baseline. Their diet was repeatedly assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires every 2-4 y. Associations with mortality were assessed using time-dependent Cox models with adjustments for demographics, dietary and lifestyle factors, and medical history.
RESULTS
During 3,427,156 person-years of follow-up, we documented 50,734 deaths, including 12,492 CVD deaths, 13,726 cancer deaths, and 24,516 other non-CVD and noncancer deaths. After multivariable adjustment, the higher total phytoestrogen intake was associated with lower risk of total CVD and other non-CVD and noncancer mortality: comparing extreme quintiles, the pooled HRs (95% CIs) were 0.89 (0.87, 0.92), 0.90 (0.85, 0.96), and 0.86 (0.82, 0.90), respectively. We did not find a significant association with cancer mortality [0.97 (0.92, 1.03)]. For individual phytoestrogens in relation to total mortality, the pooled HRs (95% CIs) comparing extreme quintiles were 0.90 (0.87, 0.92) for isoflavones, 0.93 (0.90, 0.96) for lignans, and 0.93 (0.90, 0.95) for coumarins. Individual phytoestrogens were also significantly associated with lower risk of CVD mortality and other types of mortality. Primary food sources of phytoestrogens, including tofu, soy milk, whole grains, tea, and flaxseed, were also inversely associated with total mortality.
CONCLUSIONS
A higher intake of total phytoestrogens, including isoflavones, lignans, and coumarins, and foods rich in these compounds was associated with lower risk of total and certain cause-specific mortality in generally healthy US adults. These data suggest that these phytochemicals and their dietary sources may be integrated into an overall healthy diet to achieve a longer life span.
Topics: Adult; Male; Female; Humans; Phytoestrogens; Follow-Up Studies; Prospective Studies; Cause of Death; Diet; Isoflavones; Cardiovascular Diseases; Neoplasms; Lignans; Coumarins
PubMed: 36789932
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2022.10.019