Dietary Effects of Anthocyanins in Human Health: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

In recent years, the consumption of natural-based foods, including beans, fruits, legumes, nuts, oils, vegetables, spices, and whole grains, has been encouraged. This fact is essentially due to their content in bioactive phytochemicals, with the phenolic compounds standing out. Among them, anthocyanins have been a target of many studies due to the presence of catechol, pyrogallol, and methoxy groups in their chemical structure, which confer notable scavenging, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities, being already recommended as supplementation to mitigate or even attenuate certain disorders, such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and neurological pathologies. The most well-known anthocyanins are cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside. They are widespread in nature, being present in considerable amounts in red fruits and red vegetables. Overall, the present review intends to discuss the most recent findings on the potential health benefits from the daily intake of anthocyanin-rich foods, as well as their possible pharmacological mechanisms of action. However, before that, some emphasis regarding their chemical structure, dietary sources, and bioavailability was done.

A Pilot, Phase II, Observational, Case-Control, 1-Month Study on Asthenopia in Video Terminal Operators without Dry Eye: Contrast Sensitivity and Quality of Life before and after the Oral Consumption of a Fixed Combination of Zinc, L-Carnitine, Extract of Elderberry, Currant and Extract of Eleutherococcus.

“…The beneficial antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, immunomodulating and adaptogenic effect of the molecules examined in our study was demonstrated on the retina, vitreous and ocular surface [26]. Previous studies [27][28][29] have shown that dietary modifications and dietary supplements can be used to prevent and/or treat ocular surface conditions.…”

Hepatoprotective Effects of Sweet Cherry Extracts (cv. Saco)

“…The strong anti-cancer effects of anthocyanins are intimately linked to their catechol, pyrogallol, and methoxy groups present in their chemical structure, which confer them notable antioxidant, anti-cancer, antimutagenic and anti-inflammatory effects, including the capacity to (i) interfere with ERK, JNK, MAPK, NF-κB and PI3K/Akt pathways, (ii) arrest cells proliferation in G1/S and G2/M phases, (iii) activate the caspase cascade, (iv) increase intracellular antioxidant enzymes, (v) modulate aromatase activity, (vi) regulate estrogenic/antiestrogenic levels, (vii) reduce mitochondria membrane potential and (viii) inhibit procarcinogens activation by interfering with phase I metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 [11,[56][57][58][59][60].…”

Anthocyanins, Anthocyanin-Rich Berries, and Cardiovascular Risks: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 44 Randomized Controlled Trials and 15 Prospective Cohort Studies

“…Owing to rich hydroxyl groups in their chemical structures, anthocyanins also represent one of the largest families of phenolic pigments with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties ( 16 ). Habitual consumption of anthocyanins and anthocyanin-rich foods was suggested to reduce the risks of various chronic diseases including CVD, neuroinflammatory process, and liver steatosis ( 17 ). A previous meta-analysis of prospective studies found that frequent intake of anthocyanin-rich foods was related to 9% lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) ( 18 ).…”