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Arabinogalactan as a prebiotic: physiological effects, mechanisms of action, and clinical application potential
https://doi.org/10.33667/2078-5631-2025-19-86-93
Abstract
This literature review presents current data on the role of prebiotic fibers in the regulation of gut microbiota composition, host metabolism, and immune homeostasis. Dietary fiber is not digested in the human gastrointestinal tract, but, entering the large intestine, serves as a prebiotic substrate for symbiotic microbiota. Today, there is no doubt about the important role of symbiotic microorganisms in the normal functioning of various systems of the human body. Particular emphasis is placed on short-chain fatty acids – the principal microbial fermentation products of dietary fibers – that serve as key mediators between symbiotic microbiota and host immune responses. The mechanisms by which these metabolites modulate immune cell populations, including T lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, and NK cells, are described, alongside their effects on intestinal barrier function and systemic immunity. Special focus is given to larch arabinogalactan, a well-studied natural polysaccharide with established prebiotic and immunomodulatory properties. Its structural characteristics, metabolic fate in the colon, biological activity, and clinical relevance are reviewed. The article also summarizes findings from Russian and international studies supporting the safety and efficacy of arabinogalactan and its potential applications in functional nutrition, preventive medicine, and pharmaceutical formulations.
About the Author
E. A. Burlyaeva
Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety ; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University) ; State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Medical and Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Burlyaeva Ekaterina A., PhD Med, head of Consultative and Diagnostic Center “Healthy and Sports Nutrition”, associate professor at Dept of Nutrition Hygiene and Toxicology, head of the Laboratory of Extreme Nutrition and Applied Food Technologies
Moscow
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Burlyaeva E.A. Arabinogalactan as a prebiotic: physiological effects, mechanisms of action, and clinical application potential. Medical alphabet. 2025;1(19):86-93. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.33667/2078-5631-2025-19-86-93
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