title: [Microbial conversion of daidzein affects fecal equol concentration and bacterial composition of rats with or without ovariectomy].
abstract: Equol is the end metabolite of daidzein by certain intestinal bacteria, which has stronger bioactivity comparing with daidzein.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of orally administrated equol-producing bacterium on increasing equol production and shifting intestinal microbiota of embracer animal.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total 60 rats with or without ovariectomy at average bodyweight 211 +/- 9g were divided into 5 groups. The differences on equol concentration and bacterial composition were compared in rats orally treated with distilled water, estradiol, daidzein, equol and daidzein + ZX7.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fecal equol concentration in daidzein groups was significantly higher than that in control and estradiol groups. The fecal equol concentration in daidzein + ZX7 groups was comparable to that in equol groups. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) of fecal DGGE profiles showed clear difference of fecal microbiota between ovariectomy done or undone rats. Fecal population of Bacteriodetes showed strong correlation with fecal equol concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Normal intestinal microbiota in rats might have the capacity to convert daidzein into equol. Dietary source of equol-producing bacterium ZX7 might have the possibility to increase the equol production of embracer animal. Endogenous estrogen concentration might shift the intestinal microbiota on rats. Bacteriodetes might have an important role on equol production.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. zhangxunnj@gmail.com
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Weijiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Shana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001711:Biotransformation; D060754:Equol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000378:metabolism*; D054892:Metagenome; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D060754:Equol; C004742:daidzein