Evaluation of Phytoestrogens in Traditional Plant Based Herbal Drug Formulations and their possible consequences to the Gut Flora

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the metabolic response of Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Lactococcus lactis, two representative gut flora to phytoestrogens consumed through traditional herbal formulations. Healthy strains are present in the mother`s gut are transmitted to the newborn during vaginal delivery resulting in normal development of the newborn. About 200 herbal formulations collected from different areas of Punjab were analyzed; the results indicated presence of phytoestrogens (daidzein, genistein, formononetin, biochanin A , testosterone, coumesterol) in all samples in notable quantities. In vitro studies were carried out by challenging the formulations to the pure cultures of B.adolescentis and L.lactis. The results indicated significant inhibition of both the strains , furthermore examination of selected probiotic characteristics indicated prominent detrimental changes suggesting that these strains to be grossly affected by phytoestrogens. Further studies are warranted for understanding the detrimental effect to these gut flora. It may be inferred from this study that a loss of viability, beneficial properties upon consumption of phytoestrogens can be an important cause in impairing overall health of vaginally delivered newborns. On consuming such spurious formulations, gut flora get affected which results in the reduction in their original log values of the probiotics. Moreover it results in various malformations in the developing fetus. The tolerance of both the strains towards phytoestrogens was examined and it was found that both the strains loose their probiotic attributes when we increase the concentration of the dose. These formulations are generally prescribed for twenty days and there total consumption becomes 69.6 ng which is a very large amount to cause destruction of the flora as well as hormonal imbalance.