Hui Kong, Juanjuan Han, Xin Meng, Xiaodong Wang, Xin-an Zhang
Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a natural polyphenol compound found in coffee, fruits, and vegetables. During digestion, a large proportion of dietary CGA is not absorbed and reaches the colon, where it interacts with the gut microflora. CGA can regulate the gut microflora to increase its diversity and proportion of beneficial microflora; reduce harmful microflora; induce changes in gut microflora-derived metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, indole compounds, and hydroxycinnamic acid; and indirectly regulate host immunity, gut barrier function, and metabolic homeostasis. It can be degraded into colonic metabolites, such as caffeic and quinic acids, which accumulate in the body and modulate a number of biological activities. Herein, we review the interactions of CGA with the gut microbiota. The progression of chronic diseases and health disorders is closely linked to imbalances in the gut microbiota. Therefore, we focus on the role of the gut microbiota as a mediator to enhance the therapeutic potential of CGA in various chronic diseases and health disorders, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, intestinal diseases, diabetes mellitus, nephropathy, cognitive impairment, and depression-like behavior.