Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
07:15
An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
Trametes versicolor extract modifies human fecal microbiota composition in vitro
Zhuo-Teng Yu1, Bo Liu, Purna Mukherjee
1Program in Glycobiology, Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-3961, USA.
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
|February 26, 2013
Summary
Trametes versicolor extract, polysaccharide peptide (PSP), acts as a prebiotic. It promotes beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, while reducing harmful bacteria, potentially explaining its medicinal benefits.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Trametes versicolor (Yun-zhi) is a mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine.
- Its health benefits are attributed to various activities, potentially mediated by gut microbiota modulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prebiotic potential of a Trametes versicolor extract, polysaccharide peptide (PSP).
- To determine PSP's effect on human fecal microbiota composition and activity.
Main Methods:
- Anaerobic culture of human fecal microbiota with PSP, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), or cellulose.
- Analysis of bacterial composition, organic acid production, pH, and enzyme activities.
Main Results:
- PSP significantly increased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp.
- PSP reduced Clostridium, Staphylococcus, and Enterococcus spp.
- PSP fermentation increased organic acids, decreased pH, and induced specific enzyme activities.
Conclusions:
- Trametes versicolor extract (PSP) exhibits prebiotic-like activity, promoting beneficial gut bacteria.
- This activity may contribute to the traditional health benefits of Trametes versicolor.
- PSP alters human gut microbiota composition and pH, similar to known prebiotics.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Microbiota of the Large Intestine
The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
01:22Introduction to the Human Microbiota
Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity, and disease...
01:18Functions of the Gut Microbiota
The gut microbiota includes trillions of microorganisms that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. This complex ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal and systemic health. Most of these microbes inhabit the large intestine, establishing a relatively stable and diverse community that contributes to gut homeostasis through various metabolic, immunological, and protective mechanisms.Dominant bacterial phyla, such as...