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Colonic fermentation – more than meets the nose

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Arasaradnam, Ramesh P., Pharaoh, Mark W., Williams, Geraint J., Nwokolo, Chuka U., Bardhan, Karna Dev and Kumar, Sudhesh. (2009) Colonic fermentation – more than meets the nose. Medical Hypotheses, Vol.73 (No.5). pp. 753-756. ISSN 0306-9877

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2009.04.027

Abstract

Fermentation of undigested foods in the colon by its resident bacteria affects not only colonic health (protection against inflammation and tumour formation) but also influences metabolic health. Studying fermentation directly is difficult for lack of access. We hypothesise that the anatomical structure of the colon is suited to act as a fermenting chamber with the gaseous molecules (VOCs) emitted having direct effects on the colonocytes as well as gut neural and metabolic effects. We refer to this complex system as the ‘fermentome’, and further hypothesise that alteration in the ‘fermentome’ through dietary modification will have a direct impact on colonic as well as metabolic health and disease. The VOCs emitted may play a role in bacterial chemical signalling within the colon but importantly could also function as a ‘gas’ biomarker. Measurement of such VOCs through non-invasive methods would have important application as a hypothesis-generating tool with subsequent clinical application.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

Q Science > QP Physiology
R Medicine > RC Internal medicine

Divisions:

Faculty of Science > WMG (Formerly the Warwick Manufacturing Group)
Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Fermentation -- Research, Enterobacteriaceae -- Research, Volatile organic compounds -- Research, Biological control systems

Journal or Publication Title:

Medical Hypotheses

Publisher:

Churchill Livingstone

ISSN:

0306-9877

Official Date:

November 2009

Dates:

Date	Event
November 2009	Published

Volume:

Vol.73

Number:

No.5

Number of Pages:

Page Range:

pp. 753-756

Identification Number:

10.1016/j.mehy.2009.04.027

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Publication Status:

Published

Access rights to Published version:

Open Access

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URI:

http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/3082

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