Aliphatic compounds and derivatives

3,3'-Diindolylmethane, also known as DIM, is natural compound derived from indole. In a recent study, DIM was evaluated as a potential agent for preventing biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans, which is a major cause of dental caries. The researchers found that DIM significantly inhibited biofilm formation (by 92%) and reduced the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which are important for biofilm stability particularly under acidic conditions. The study suggests that 3,3'-diindolylmethane has anti-biofilm and anti-virulence properties against S. mutans, and it is a potential candidate for reducing biofilm formation and preventing dental caries. It has been also reported that 3,3'-diindolymethane can act as a chemopreventive agent. DIM has estrogenic effects without interacting with the binding domain of the estrogen receptors. This study found that DIM could suppress cell growth and disrupt cell cycle progression of young adult mouse colonocytes (YAMCs) in vitro. Moreover, DIM altered gene expression associated with apoptosis and cell proliferation, and it induced transcriptional activity of the estrogen receptor (ER), which was inhibited by an ER antagonist.