Enterolignan

{{Short description|Class of chemical compounds}}

Enterolignans are organic compounds formed by the action of gut microflora on lignans. They are thus the products of the combined action of both plants and of the animal gut. Prominent enterolignans are enterodiol and enterolactone. Enterolignans are also called "mammalian lignans", although that term is self-contradictory since mammals do not produce lignans.{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.foodres.2011.12.023|title=Plant and Mammalian Lignans: A Review of Source, Intake, Metabolism, Intestinal Bacteria and Health|year=2012|last1=Landete|first1=J.M.|journal=Food Research International|volume=46|pages=410–424}}

Image:Enterodiol and Enterlactone.svg

Enterolignans have attracted intense attention because of their potential beneficial roles in nutrition. Elevated levels of enterodiol in urine are attributed consumption of tea and other lignan-rich foods.{{cite journal |doi=10.1093/ajcn/54.6.1093|title=Urinary excretion of lignans and isoflavonoid phytoestrogens in Japanese men and women consuming a traditional Japanese Diet|year=1991|last1=Adlercreutz|first1=H.|last2= Honjo|first2=H.|last3=Higashi|first3=A.|last4=Fotsis|first4=T.|last5= Hämäläinen|first5=E.|last6=Hasegawa|first6=T.|last7=Okada|first7=H.|journal=The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition|volume=54|issue=6|pages=1093–1100|pmid=1659780|doi-access=free}}