title: The human gastrointestinal microbiota--an unexplored frontier for pharmaceutical discovery.
abstract: The mammalian gastrointestinal tract (GIT) harbors microorganisms (the microbiota) of vast phylogentic, genomic, and metabolic diversity, and recent years have seen a rapid development in the techniques for studying these complex microbial ecosystems. It is increasingly apparent that the GIT microbiota plays an intricate role in host health and disease. Targeted strategies for modulating human health through the modification of the GIT microbiota, however, are developing and in their infancy. This perspective article discusses the rationale, benefits and limitations of using the GIT microbiota as a pharmacological and nutritional target in the treatment of various diseases and disorders linked to imbalances in our microbiota.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology & Systems Biology, TNO, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands. guus@roeselers.com
authors.forename: Guus
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roeselers
authors.forename: Jildau
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bouwman
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venema
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Montijn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055808:Drug Discovery; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D054892:Metagenome / Q000187:drug effects*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use