Table 2.
Prebiotics/Synbiotics in the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
| Author | Prebiotics/synbiotics | Subjects | Effects/mechanisms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal studies | ||||
| Kuugbee et al. [83] | Lactobacillus acidophilus (6.4 ×1011 CFU) | 40 Sprague Dawley rats | Administration the synbiotic formula reduces colon cancer development by decreasing tumor incidence, multiplicity, and volume via enhanced TLR2 induced epithelial barrier integrity and suppression of inflammation. | |
| Bifidobacterium bifidum (1.9 ×1010 CFU) | ||||
| Bifidobacteria infantum (1.9 ×1010 CFU) | ||||
| Fructo-oligosaccharide and maltodextrin | ||||
| Saito et al. [84] | Lactobacillus casei (1×108 CFU/mL) | 17 CPC; Apc mice | Synbiotics suppressed DSS-induced colitis, inhibited tumorigenesis. Neither probiotics nor prebiotics alone had any effect on inflammation and tumorigenesis. | |
| Bifidobacterium breve (1×108 CFU/mL) | ||||
| β-Galactosyl-sucrose (3.75 g/body) | ||||
| de Moura et al. [86] | L. casei (2.5 ×1010 CFU/g) with dried extract of yacon root (rich in FOS) | 48 Rats | Tumor multiplicity was significantly lower in the group fed synbiotic formulation. | |
| Gavresea et al. [87] | L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium sp., S. thermophilus, L. casei, L. delbrueckii, B. longum (total 4 ×108 cells/g) with chicory FOS | 60 Rats | Synbiotics seem to protect against the appearance of preneoplastic colon lesions in carcinogen administered rats. | |
| Li et al. [88] | Inulin | Rats with tumor inoculation | Inulin and mucin alter gut microbiota. Inulin attenuates colon cancer growth. | |
| Mucin (supplemented by altering water or chow) | ||||
| Lee et al. [89] | L. acidophilus (6×1010 CFU/g) | 60 Rats | Synbiotics significantly reduced the numbers of aberrant crypt foci, and regulated apoptosis-related proteins. | |
| 10% Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum) | ||||
| Human studies | ||||
| Rafter et al. [85] | Oligofructose-enriched inulin | 37 CRC patients, 43 polypectomized patients | Synbiotics reduced colorectal proliferation and induced necrosis in colonic cells. It also improved epithelial barrier function in polypectomized patients. | |
| Bifidobacterium lactis | ||||
| Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG | ||||
| Xie et al. [81] | 30 g prebiotics; | 140 Patients undergoing CRC surgery | Preoperative prebiotics (7 days before surgery) improved the abundance of commensal microbiota. | |
| fructooligosaccharides (25%) | ||||
| xylooligosaccharides (25%) | Bacteroides is a relevant bacterial species for further research on the mechanism of prebiotics. | |||
| polydextrose (25%) | ||||
| resistant dextrin (25%) | ||||
| Krebs [90] | 2.5 g of each fibers; β-glucan, inulin, pectin, resistant starch 1011 of each spp.; | 54 Patients undergoing CRC surgery | Synbiotic group had more LABs on GI mucosa | |
| Pediococcus pentosaceus | ||||
| Leuconostoc mesenteroides | No difference in postoperative course and complication. | |||
| Lactobacillus paracasei | ||||
| Lactobacillus plantarum | ||||
CFU, cell-free supernatants; FOS, fructooligosaccharides; CRC, colorectal cancer; TLR2, Toll-like receptor 2; DSS, dextran sodium sulfate; LAB, lactic acid bacteria; GI, gastrointestinal.