Related Papers
Antioxidants
Polyphenols from Food and Natural Products: Neuroprotection and Safety
Lea Pogačnik
Polyphenols are naturally occurring micronutrients that are present in many food sources. Besides being potent antioxidants, these molecules may also possess anti-inflammatory properties. Many studies have highlighted their potential role in the prevention and treatment of various pathological conditions connected to oxidative stress and inflammation (e.g., cancer, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders). Neurodegenerative diseases are globally one of the main causes of death and represent an enormous burden in terms of human suffering, social distress, and economic costs. Recent data expanded on the initial antioxidant-based mechanism of polyphenols’ action by showing that they are also able to modulate several cell-signaling pathways and mediators. The proposed benefits of polyphenols, either as protective/prophylactic substances or as therapeutic molecules, may be achieved by the consumption of a natural polyphenol-enriched diet, by their use as food supplements, or w...
Nutritional Neuroscience
Polyphenols and neurodegenerative diseases
2012 •
George E Barreto
Are Polyphenols Strong Dietary Agents Against Neurotoxicity and Neurodegeneration
Susana P Almeida, Branca Maria Cardoso Monteiro Da Silva
Life expectancy of most human populations has greatly increased as a result of factors including better hygiene, medical practice, and nutrition. Unfortunately, as humans age, they become more prone to suffer from neu-rodegenerative diseases and neurotoxicity. Polyphenols can be cheaply and easily obtained as part of a healthy diet. They present a wide range of biological activities, many of which have relevance for human health. Compelling evidence has shown that dietary phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols, have properties that may suppress neuroin-flammation and prevent toxic and degenerative effects in the brain. The mechanisms by which polyphenols exert their action are not fully understood, but it is clear that they have a direct effect through their antioxidant activities. They have also been shown to modulate intracellular sig-naling cascades, including the PI3K–Akt, MAPK, Nrf2, and MEK pathways. Polyphenols also interact with a range of neurotransmitters, illustrating that these compounds can promote their health benefits in the brain through a direct, indirect, or complex action. We discuss whether polyphe-nols obtained from diet or food supplements are an effective strategy to prevent or treat neurodegeneration. We also discuss the safety, mechanisms of action, and the current and future relevance of polyphenols in clinical treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. As populations age, it is important to discuss the dietary strategies to avoid or counteract the effects of incurable neurodegenerative disorders , which already represent an enormous financial and emotional burden for health care systems, patients, and their families.
Genes & nutrition
Do polyphenols enter the brain and does it matter? Some theoretical and practical considerations
2012 •
Sebastian Schaffer
Although several epidemiological and intervention studies suggest that polyphenols (PPs) and PP-rich foods may improve memory and cognition in animals and humans, PPs' mode of action is only poorly understood. To help distinguish between the different modes of action that have been proposed for PPs, it is obviously important to know how much PPs can accumulate in the brain, if any at all. However, reliable data on PP uptake into the brain of animals are limited as many studies failed to report important control procedures during data acquisition. In this paper, we summarize published data on the penetration of PPs into animal brain and review some hypotheses to explain the biological basis of potentially health-beneficial effects of PPs to the brain. Finally, we highlight promising new approaches, especially those of a hormetic dose-response and gut microbiota-brain interaction, which may allow a better understanding of PPs' mode of action in animals and humans.
Antioxidants
Neuroprotective Properties of Food-Borne Polyphenols in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Lea Pogačnik
Fruits and vegetables are the richest source of polyphenols in the regular human diet [...]
OCL
Polyphenols and brain health
David Vauzour
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
Dietary polyphenols as modulators of brain functions: biological actions and molecular mechanisms underpinning their beneficial effects
2012 •
David Vauzour
Polyphenols: From Theory to Practice
2021 •
MADDALENA CORSINI, GIORGIO CAPPELLUCCI
Background: The importance of polyphenols in human health is well known; these compounds are common in foods, such as fruits, vegetables, spices, extra virgin olive oil and wine. On the other hand, the different factors that modulate the biological activity of these compounds are less well known. Conceptualization of the work: In this review we took into account about 200 relevant and recent papers on the following topics: "polyphenols bioavailability", "polyphenols matrix effect", "food matrix effect", "polyphenols-cytochromes interaction", after having reviewed and updated information on chemical classification and main biological properties of polyphenols, such as the antioxidant, anti-radical and anti-inflammatory activity, together with the tricky link between in vitro tests and clinical trials. Key findings: the issue of polyphenols bioavailability and matrix effect should be better taken into account when health claims are referred to polyphenols, thus considering the matrix effect, enzymatic interactions, reactions with other foods or genetic or gender characteristics that could interfere. We also discovered that in vitro studies often underrate the role of phytocomplexes and thus we provided practical hints to describe a clearer way to approach an investigation on polyphenols for a more resounding transfer to their use in medicine.
Efficacy of dietary polyphenols for neuroprotective effects and cognitive improvements
2021 •
Divya Chandradhara
Polyphenols are a wide group of plant secondary metabolites. Polyphenols are in fact endowed with antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties that include the inhibition of proinflammatory enzymes and signaling pathways that cause aging. Natural polyphenols have been shown to have potent antioxidant activity, since they can inhibit the generation of free radicals by deactivating their active species and/or precursors. Most of the polyphenolic compounds show a modulatory activity in several cell signaling pathways associated with survival, cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Among the numerous dietary polyphenols, curcumin and resveratrol have greatly demonstrated their neuroprotective effects.
Foods
New Insights in (Poly)phenolic Compounds: From Dietary Sources to Health Evidence
Cristina García-viguera
Nowadays, there is a gap between the theoretical bioactivity of (poly)phenols and their real influence in health, once ingested. Due to this, new studies, including in vitro and in vivo models that allow for exploring bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and bioactivity, need to be developed to understand the actual importance of consuming functional foods, rich in these plant secondary metabolites. Moreover, current new strategies need to be developed to enhance the content of these foods, as well as setting up new formulations rich in bioaccessible and bioavailable compounds. Altogether, it could give a new horizon in therapy, expanding the use of these natural functional compounds, ingredients, and foods in the clinical frame, reducing the use of synthetic drugs. As a result, the joint contribution of multidisciplinary experts from the food science, health, and nutrition areas, together with the industrial sector, would help to reach these objectives. Taking this into account, dive...
