Question

Essay on Gut microbiome as a future source of drugs in 1000 words

Answer 1

 “He who has no health, has nothing.” A hefty bank account balance or a palatial bungalow cannot give anyone the happiness comparable to a healthy body and sound mind. Man may spend his entire life trying to amass wealth and materialistic comforts but one’s health is the biggest and most precious asset anyone has. Since centuries man has tried to understand human body and study nature in order to fight illness and lead a healthful life. Our ancestors have spent their entire life to decode the gifts of nature that can help cure diseases and restore wellness in one’s body. The Ayurveda, an ancient medical system from India, tried to find the elixir of life in herbs and other medicinal plants. With the progress in science, our understanding of chemical compounds and bacteriology increased and we invented the antibiotic drugs. Even today, scientists are working day and night to be able to understand human anatomy in a better way. With more insights into microbiology, biotechnology and neuro science, modern medicine system has evolved into a very sophisticated and elaborate one.  

 Today, we use one type of bacteria to fight against the (similar type of) disease causing bacteria eg vaccination. We have come up with medicines that can target a certain types of carcinogen cell and has no side effects on the other cells of human body.  With more studies and experiment data, everyday scientists and doctors are coming up with better and safer medicines to fight diseases and keep the individuals hale and hearty.  According to a recent discovery, it was found that we humans carry trillions of microbes or friendly bacteria in our gut or stomach.  These bacteria play an important role when it comes to digestion of food. They make the breakdown of nutrients present in our food easier for the digestive system hence facilitating the metabolic functions. Studies have proved that the gut bacteria are also known to help in the production of vitamin B and vitamin K – both of which play a vital role in our immune system. Just like vaccinations, it 'trains' the immune system to respond to certain antigens thereby equipping the body defense system with an ability to fight the allergies.  

It has been found out that the gut bacteria, unique to every individual, not only has influence on our ability to resist disease causing bacteria/virus but it also has significant effect on the factors like obesity and mental health. The gut microbes act like the ‘helpful bacteria’ and do not allow foreign bacterial species to grow excessively in our intestines thereby reducing the chances of infection. These friendly bacteria help in the prevention of allergies. But there are instances found where the gut bacteria (like lactobacillus) prevent the formation of tumor. But if the gut bacteria somehow get outside the intestinal tract, they can prove to be very harmful too. Human body is left susceptible to the invasion of bacteria and fatal infections.  An imbalance in the gut microbiota may cause functional bowel disorder and obesity.  

There are large number of studies being undertaken by the scientists and researchers all over the world to find out more about the gut microbiome and its potential to be used as the future source of drugs. Since the work in this field is still in its inception phase, nothing definitely can be said about the benefits or ill effects of these gut bacteria for the medicine industry. If studies and experimental data till date are to be believed, these bacteria hold a promising future to revolutionize the field of drugs and medicines. In my point of view, it is very early to discard the possibility that the gut microbiota doesn’t have a potential to be used to develop the next generation of drugs. With proper research and experiments, the gut microbiome can be used to engineer future medicines that can be specific to an individual, just the way the gut bacteria are. By studying the gut microbiota thoroughly it is a possibility that the scientists achieve a breakthrough in understanding how to develop new and more potential drugs with lesser side effects. 

Answer 2

Answer:

He who has no health, has nothing.” A hefty bank account balance or a palatial bungalow cannot give anyone the happiness comparable to a healthy body and sound mind. Man may spend his entire life trying to amass wealth and materialistic comforts but one’s health is the biggest and most precious asset anyone has. Since centuries man has tried to understand human body and study nature in order to fight illness and lead a healthful life. Our ancestors have spent their entire life to decode the gifts of nature that can help cure diseases and restore wellness in one’s body. The Ayurveda, an ancient medical system from India, tried to find the elixir of life in herbs and other medicinal plants. With the progress in science, our understanding of chemical compounds and bacteriology increased and we invented the antibiotic drugs. Even today, scientists are working day and night to be able to understand human anatomy in a better way. With more insights into microbiology, biotechnology and neuro science, modern medicine system has evolved into a very sophisticated and elaborate one.