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Toward indole postbiotics precision therapy via AI-powered drug delivery technologies
Puccetti Matteo1, Pariano Marilena2, Wojtylo Paulina Anna1
1Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia 06132, Italy.
Current Opinion in Immunology
|November 12, 2025
Summary
Postbiotics like indole show therapeutic potential for host health due to their diverse bioactivities. Challenges in clinical translation necessitate novel approaches, such as artificial intelligence, for future development.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Postbiotics
- Host-microbe interactions
Background:
- Indole and its derivatives are postbiotics produced by bacterial tryptophan metabolism.
- These compounds are prevalent in various biological communities.
- They play a role in host physiology and homeostasis at the host/microbe interface.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the bioactivities of indole and its derivatives.
- To identify challenges hindering their clinical translation.
- To propose artificial intelligence as a tool for future development.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of indole bioactivities.
- Analysis of pharmacokinetic and formulation challenges.
- Exploration of artificial intelligence applications in drug development.
Main Results:
- Indole derivatives exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory, and metabolic effects.
- Key challenges include pharmacokinetic limitations, structural promiscuity, and formulation difficulties.
- Artificial intelligence offers a framework for overcoming these translational hurdles.
Conclusions:
- Indole and its derivatives represent promising therapeutic agents derived from the microbiome.
- Addressing translational challenges is crucial for their clinical application.
- AI can accelerate the development of these postbiotics for therapeutic use.
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