Proanthocyanidins in health and disease

Abstract

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are the most abundant flavonoids in the human diet. Several epidemiological studies connect PA consumption and health benefits and the designation of PAs as healthy compounds started at the early stages of the 20th century. The beneficial health properties of PAs are attributed to their conjugated and colonic metabolites. Therefore, gut microbial compositions can determine the effectiveness of PAs. Reciprocally, dietary polyphenols can act as prebiotics. Recently, it has also been described that PAs modulate the circadian rhythm. Biochemical and epigenetic mechanisms, including the modulation of microRNAs, allow PAs to modulate cell functionality. PA effects in metabolic diseases are also reviewed. © 2016 BioFactors, 42(1):5–12, 2016

Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins Target the Enteroendocrine System in Cafeteria‐Diet‐Fed Rats

“…[]). Over the years in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo studies as well as clinical trials have provided ever‐increasing evidence of the role polyphenols play as potential health compounds . However, the scientific evidence shows that the beneficial effects of polyphenols on health are directly linked to their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.…”

“…Over the years in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo studies as well as clinical trials have provided ever-increasing evidence of the role polyphenols play as potential health compounds. [9,10] However, the scientific evidence shows that the beneficial effects of polyphenols on health are directly linked to their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Some mechanisms used by flavonoids are exerted in the intestine, such as the inhibition of the enzymes that participate in carbohydrate digestion and the reduction of glucose absorption through the inhibition of the transporters involved in glucose uptake (reviewed in ref.…”

Accounting Gut Microbiota as the Mediator of Beneficial Effects of Dietary (Poly)phenols on Skeletal Muscle in Aging

“…The flavanols contained in foods in the monomeric form and oligomeric proanthocyanidins are generally subject to host metabolism in enterocytes and epatocytes, undergoing glucuronidation or sulfonation independently of gut microbiota [ 83 , 84 ]. The formed metabolites of epicatechin, epigallocatechin or epigallocatechin gallate may exert protective effects on skeletal muscle cells.…”

“…Unlike monomeric flavanols and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, polymeric proanthocyanidins, accounting for >90% of the dietary compounds belonging to this phenolic subclass, undergo relevant metabolism at the gut microbiota level [ 83 , 84 ]. Specific gut microbiota functionalities, in fact, may promote degradation of polymeric proanthocyanidins into flavanols or oligomeric compounds absorbable by the intestinal mucosa [ 94 , 95 ].…”

Natural compounds against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A review on the involvement of the LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway

“…Dietary polyphenols contain a significant amount of PAs, which have drawn more attention recently due to their various bioactivities (Bladé et al, 2016). It was found that a specific form of PA derived from Chinese bayberry leaves (BLPs) had strong antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic properties through activation of AMPK (Zhang, Chen, et al, 2017).…”