1.
Grapevine as a Rich Source of Polyphenolic Compounds.
Šikuten, I, Štambuk, P, Andabaka, Ž, Tomaz, I, Marković, Z, Stupić, D, Maletić, E, Kontić, JK, Preiner, D
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2020;(23)
Abstract
Grapes are rich in primary and secondary metabolites. Among the secondary metabolites, polyphenolic compounds are the most abundant in grape berries. Besides their important impacts on grape and wine quality, this class of compounds has beneficial effects on human health. Due to their antioxidant activity, polyphenols and phenolic acids can act as anti-inflammatory and anticancerogenic agents, and can modulate the immune system. In grape berries, polyphenols and phenolic acids can be located in the pericarp and seeds, but distribution differs considerably among these tissues. Although some classes of polyphenols and phenolic acids are under strict genetic control, the final content is highly influenced by environmental factors, such as climate, soil, vineyard, and management. This review aims to present the main classes of polyphenolic compounds and phenolic acids in different berry tissues and grape varieties and special emphasis on their beneficial effect on human health.
2.
Mexican Traditional Plant-Foods: Polyphenols Bioavailability, Gut Microbiota Metabolism and Impact Human Health.
Mercado-Mercado, G, Blancas-Benítez, FJ, Zamora-Gasga, VM, Sáyago-Ayerdi, SG
Current pharmaceutical design. 2019;(32):3434-3456
Abstract
Functional foods have been used worldwide since ancient times, particularly, the prehispanic civilizations used several plants as medicinal foods. Nowadays, many Mexicans populations preserve their traditions and dietary patterns based on corn, beans, besides other endemic vegetables, mainly diverse varieties of chili, tomatoes and other plant-foods. It is well known that each species has a special complex mixture of bioactive compounds (BC) in which each component contributes to its overall bioactivity. These BC are plant metabolites that benefit human health by means of anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory, and antioxidant effects. However, it becomes bioactive at human body when these BC must undergo diverse intestinal transformations, due to the action of digestive enzymes, but also by the action of microbiota metabolism. Thus, the intestinal microbiota is the key factor in the mediation of the physiological functions of dietary polyphenols. In fact, limited information is available, especially on dietary phytochemicals and metabolism in commonly available Mexican plant-foods. In this review, the bioaccesibility and bioavailability major BC from traditional Mexican plant-foods products and its potential health benefits will be discussed. Besides, we compile the scientific reports and the evidence of the impact of some Mexican plant-foods on the gut microbiota dynamic composition, specific microbial metabolites and its possible contributions to human health.