The gut microbiota and host health: a new clinical frontier

2015/09/02 by Julian R Marchesi, Julian R. Marchesi, David Adams +18 · 2,324 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Antibiotics #Bioinformatics #Biology #Clostridium difficile #Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research #Disease #Fecal bacteriotherapy #Gastrointestinal motility and disorders #Gut flora #Gut microbiota and health #Immune system #Immunology #Medicine #Microbiology #Pathology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2015-309990

published in Gut 65(2), 330-339 (BMJ)

openalex publication_date 2015/09/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Over the last 10-15 years, our understanding of the composition and functions of the human gut microbiota has increased exponentially. To a large extent, this has been due to new 'omic' technologies that have facilitated large-scale analysis of the genetic and metabolic profile of this microbial community, revealing it to be comparable in influence to a new organ in the body and offering the possibility of a new route for therapeutic intervention. Moreover, it might be more accurate to think of it like an immune system: a collection of cells that work in unison with the host and that can promote health but sometimes initiate disease. This review gives an update on the current knowledge in the area of gut disorders, in particular metabolic syndrome and obesity-related disease, liver disease, IBD and colorectal cancer. The potential of manipulating the gut microbiota in these disorders is assessed, with an examination of the latest and most relevant evidence relating to antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, polyphenols and faecal microbiota transplantation.

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