Biol. Pharm. Bull.

Biol. Pharm. Bull., 30(11),2204-2206, November 2007

Notes

Enantioselective Oxidation of Enterodiol to Enterolactone by Human Intestinal Bacteria

Jong-Sik JIN,^a Nobuko KAKIUCHI,^b and Masao HATTORI^*^,a

^a Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama; 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan: and ^b Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University; Kakumacho, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan. * To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: saibo421@inm.u-toyama.ac.jp

In the course of our experiments on the metabolic conversion of lignans to the estrogenic substances enterodiol (END) and enterolactone (ENL) by human intestinal flora, we isolated two anaerobes, Ruminococcus sp. END-1 and strain END-2, capable of oxidizing END. The former selectively converted (−)-END to (−)-ENL, while the latter selectively converted (+)-END to (+)-ENL, indicating enantioselective oxidation by intestinal bacteria.

Key words human intestinal bacteria; oxidation; enantioselectivity; enterodiol; enterolactone

Notes

Enantioselective Oxidation of Enterodiol to Enterolactone by Human Intestinal Bacteria

Jong-Sik JIN,a Nobuko KAKIUCHI,b and Masao HATTORI*,a

a Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama; 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan: and b Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University; Kakumacho, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan. * To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: saibo421@inm.u-toyama.ac.jp

Jong-Sik JIN,^a Nobuko KAKIUCHI,^b and Masao HATTORI^*^,a

^a Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama; 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan: and ^b Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University; Kakumacho, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan. * To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: saibo421@inm.u-toyama.ac.jp