Table 1. Examples of postbiotics, as microbial-derived metabolites and their properties. Adopted from Puccetti et al., 2020. Initial
substrate utilized by microbes
Bacteria producers Postbiotic
Health properties
Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)
Fermentation of fibre/ carbohydrate metabolism
Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes
Propionate, Acetate, Butyrate
Preserve mucosal immunity; Enhance the regulatory function of Tregs in the intestine; Enhance the protection against infections; Suppression of pro- inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide in neutrophils Increase protection from pathogenic infections by inducing IL-22 secretion and production of antimicrobial peptides; Enhancement of epithelial barriers;
Indole and Indole derivatives
Dietary Tryptophan (microbial origin)
5-hydroxy-tryptophan Tryptamine Indoleacetic acid 3-methylindole carboxaldehyde Indole-3-sulfate Indole propionic acid 3-indolelactic acid (Skatole) 3-indole
Firmicutes, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, Bacteroides
Secondary bile acids
Bile acids
Deoxycholic and lithocholic acid
Regulation of bacterial growth Inhibit induction of pro- inflammatory responses
Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Eubacterium
Polyamines
Nitrogenous compound
Putrescine, Spermidine, spermine
Established role in the regulation of growth and differentiation of all cell types; Can influence on cell proliferation rate; Implicated in wound healing Prevention against aberrant DNA methylation; Suppression of colonic inflammation; Maintaining redox homeostasis; Nucleotide metabolism
Escherichia Coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Bifidium
bacterium, Bacteroides
Amine oxides Folate, riboflavin
Vitamins
Bacillus subtilis Escherichia coli. Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus reuteri, Bifidobacterium adolescentis
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