Nanotechnology as a Tool to Mitigate the Effects of Intestinal Microbiota on Metabolization of Anthocyanins

Dietary Sources, Stabilization, Health Benefits, and Industrial Application of Anthocyanins-A Review

Natural phytochemicals are well known to protect against numerous metabolic disorders. Anthocyanins are vacuolar pigments belonging to the parent class of flavonoids. They are well known for their potent antioxidant and gut microbiome-modulating properties, primarily responsible for minimizing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and several other diseases associated with metabolic syndromes. Berries are the primary source of anthocyanin in the diet. The color and stability of anthocyanins are substantially influenced by external environmental conditions, constraining their applications in foods. Furthermore, the significantly low bioavailability of anthocyanins greatly diminishes the extent of the actual health benefits linked to these bioactive compounds. Multiple strategies have been successfully developed and utilized to enhance the stability and bioavailability of anthocyanins. This review provides a comprehensive view of the recent advancements in chemistry, biosynthesis, dietary sources, stabilization, bioavailability, industrial applications, and health benefits of anthocyanins. Finally, we summarize the prospects and challenges of applications of anthocyanin in foods.

Unlocking the health potential of anthocyanins: a structural insight into their varied biological effects

Anthocyanins have become increasingly important to the food industry due to their colorant features and many health-promoting activities. Numerous studies have linked anthocyanins to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic properties, as well as protection against heart disease, certain types of cancer, and a reduced risk of diabetes and cognitive disorders. Anthocyanins from various foods may exhibit distinct biological and health-promoting activities owing to their structural diversity. In this review, we have collected and tabulated the key information from various recent published studies focusing on investigating the chemical structure effect of anthocyanins on their stability, antioxidant activities, in vivo fate, and changes in the gut microbiome. This information should be valuable in comprehending the connection between the molecular structure and biological function of anthocyanins, with the potential to enhance their application as both colorants and functional compounds in the food industry.

Protein and Peptide-Based Nanotechnology for Enhancing Stability, Bioactivity, and Delivery of Anthocyanins

Anthocyanin, a unique natural polyphenol, is abundant in plants and widely utilized in biomedicine, cosmetics, and the food industry due to its excellent antioxidant, anticancer, antiaging, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the degradation of anthocyanin in an extreme environment, such as alkali pH, high temperatures, and metal ions, limits its physiochemical stabilities and bioavailabilities. Encapsulation and combining anthocyanin with biomaterials could efficiently stabilize anthocyanin for protection. Promisingly, natural or artificially designed proteins and peptides with favorable stabilities, excellent biocapacity, and wide sources are potential candidates to stabilize anthocyanin. This review focuses on recent progress, strategies, and perspectives on protein and peptide for anthocyanin functionalization and delivery, i.e., formulation technologies, physicochemical stability enhancement, cellular uptake, bioavailabilities, and biological activities development. Interestingly, due to the simplicity and diversity of peptide structure, the interaction mechanisms between peptide and anthocyanin could be illustrated. This work sheds light on the mechanism of protein/peptide-anthocyanin nanoparticle construction and expands on potential applications of anthocyanin in nutrition and biomedicine.

Plant-derived polyphenolic compounds: nanodelivery through polysaccharide-based systems to improve the biological properties

Plant-derived polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds widely distributed in plants. They have received greater attention in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to their potential health benefits, reducing the risk of some chronic diseases due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, and neuro-action properties. Polyphenolic compounds orally administered can be used as adjuvants in several treatments but with restricted uses due to chemical instability. The review discusses the different structural compositions of polyphenols and their influence on chemical stability. Despite the potential and wide applications, there is a need to improve the delivery of polyphenolics to target the human intestine without massive chemical modifications. Oral administration of polyphenols is unfeasible due to instability, low bioaccessibility, and limited bioavailability. Nano-delivery systems based on polysaccharides (starch, pectin, chitosan, and cellulose) have been identified as a viable option for oral ingestion, potentiate biological effects, and direct-controlled delivery in specific tissues. The time and dose can be individualized for specific diseases, such as intestinal cancer. This review will address the mechanisms by which polysaccharides-based nanostructured systems can protect against degradation and enhance intestinal permeation, oral bioavailability, and the potential application of polysaccharides as nanocarriers for the controlled and targeted delivery of polyphenolic compounds.

Advances in natural compound-based nanomedicine and the interaction with gut microbiota in ulcerative colitis therapy

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder of the large intestine. Previous studies have indicated that the gut microbiota plays an important role in the triggers, development, and treatment response of UC. Natural active molecules and their nanoformulations show huge potential for treating UC. The nanoparticles can regulate the gut microbiota and metabolites, whereas gut microbiota-mediated effects on nanomedicines can also bring additional therapeutic benefits. Therefore, this review aims to integrate current research on natural active molecule-based nanomedicines for UC therapy and their interaction with the gut microbiota. Here, this discussion focuses on the effects and functions of gut microbiota and metabolites in UC. The use of active molecules and the nanoformulation from natural compounds for UC therapy have been provided. The interactions between the gut microbiota and nanomedicines are derived from natural products and elucidate the possible biological mechanisms involved. Finally, the challenges and future directions for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicine in treating UC are proposed.

Valorization of polyphenolic compounds from food industry by-products for application in polysaccharide-based nanoparticles

In the last decades, evidence has indicated the beneficial properties of dietary polyphenols. In vitro and in vivo studies support that the regular intake of these compounds may be a strategy to reduce the risks of some chronic non-communicable diseases. Despite their beneficial properties, they are poorly bioavailable compounds. Thus, the main objective of this review is to explore how nanotechnology improves human health while reducing environmental impacts with the sustainable use of vegetable residues, from extraction to the development of functional foods and supplements. This extensive literature review discusses different studies based on the application of nanotechnology to stabilize polyphenolic compounds and maintain their physical-chemical stability. Food industries commonly generate a significant amount of solid waste. Exploring the bioactive compounds of solid waste has been considered a sustainable strategy in line with emerging global sustainability needs. Nanotechnology can be an efficient tool to overcome the challenge of molecular instability, especially using polysaccharides such as pectin as assembling material. Complex polysaccharides are biomaterials that can be extracted from citrus and apple peels (from the juice industries) and constitute promising wall material stabilizing chemically sensitive compounds. Pectin is an excellent biomaterial to form nanostructures, as it has low toxicity, is biocompatible, and is resistant to human enzymes. The potential extraction of polyphenols and polysaccharides from residues and their inclusion in food supplements may be a possible application to reduce environmental impacts and constitutes an approach for effectively including bioactive compounds in the human diet. Extracting polyphenolics from industrial waste and using nanotechnology may be feasible to add value to food by-products, reduce impacts on nature and preserve the properties of these compounds.

Nanoformulations for the Delivery of Dietary Anthocyanins for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by abnormal blood glucose levels-hyperglycemia, caused by a lack of insulin secretion, impaired insulin action, or a combination of both. The incidence of DM is increasing, resulting in billions of dollars in annual healthcare costs worldwide. Current therapeutics aim to control hyperglycemia and reduce blood glucose levels to normal. However, most modern drugs have numerous side effects, some of which cause severe kidney and liver problems. On the other hand, natural compounds rich in anthocyanidins (cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and petunidin) have also been used for the prevention and treatment of DM. However, lack of standardization, poor stability, unpleasant taste, and decreased absorption leading to low bioavailability have hindered the application of anthocyanins as therapeutics. Therefore, nanotechnology has been used for more successful delivery of these bioactive compounds. This review summarizes the potential of anthocyanins for the prevention and treatment of DM and its complications, as well as the strategies and advances in the delivery of anthocyanins using nanoformulations.

Vaccinium as Potential Therapy for Diabetes and Microvascular Complications

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most critical global health concerns, with a fast-growing prevalence. The incidence of diabetic vascular complications is also rapidly increasing, exacerbating the burden on individuals with diabetes and the consumption of public medical resources. Despite the overall improvements in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetic microvascular complications in recent years, safe and effective alternative or adjunctive therapies are urgently needed. The mechanisms underlying diabetic vascular complications are complex, with hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammation being the leading causes. Therefore, glycemic control, antioxidation, and anti-inflammation are considered the main targets for the treatment of diabetes and its vascular comorbidities. Vaccinium L. (Ericaceae) is a genus of plants enriched with polyphenolic compounds in their leaves and fruits. Vaccinium and its extracts have demonstrated good bioactivity in reducing blood glucose, oxidative stress, and inflammation, making them excellent candidates for the management of diabetes and diabetic vascular complications. Here, we review recent preclinical and clinical studies on the potential effect of Vaccinium on ameliorating diabetes and diabetic complications, particularly diabetic kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy.

Selective Activity of an Anthocyanin-Rich, Purified Blueberry Extract upon Pathogenic and Probiotic Bacteria

Blueberry extracts have been widely recognized as possessing antimicrobial activity against several potential pathogens. However, the contextualization of the interaction of these extracts with beneficial bacteria (i.e., probiotics), particularly when considering the food applications of these products, may be of importance, not only because their presence is important in the regular gut microbiota, but also because they are important constituents of regular and functional foodstuffs. Therefore, the present work first sought to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of a blueberry extract upon four potential food pathogens and, after identifying the active concentrations, evaluated their impact upon the growth and metabolic activity (organic acid production and sugar consumption) of five potential probiotic microorganisms. Results showed that the extract, at a concentration that inhibited L. monocytogenes, B. cereus, E. coli and S. enteritidis (1000 μg mL^-1), had no inhibitory effect on the growth of the potential probiotic stains used. However, the results demonstrated, for the first time, that the extract had a significant impact on the metabolic activity of all probiotic strains, resulting in higher amounts of organic acid production (acetic, citric and lactic acids) and an earlier production of propionic acid.

Polyphenol Supplementation and Antioxidant Status in Athletes: A Narrative Review

Antioxidants in sports exercise training remain a debated research topic. Plant-derived polyphenol supplements are frequently used by athletes to reduce the negative effects of exercise-induced oxidative stress, accelerate the recovery of muscular function, and enhance performance. These processes can be efficiently modulated by antioxidant supplementation. The existing literature has failed to provide unequivocal evidence that dietary polyphenols should be promoted specifically among athletes. This narrative review summarizes the current knowledge regarding polyphenols' bioavailability, their role in exercise-induced oxidative stress, antioxidant status, and supplementation strategies in athletes. Overall, we draw attention to the paucity of available evidence suggesting that most antioxidant substances are beneficial to athletes. Additional research is necessary to reveal more fully their impact on exercise-induced oxidative stress and athletes' antioxidant status, as well as optimal dosing methods.

The Role of Anthocyanin in Modulating Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease and Its Potential to Be Developed as a Nutraceutical

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is directly linked to diabetes mellitus (DM), and its morbidity and mortality are rising at an alarming rate. Individuals with DM experience significantly worse clinical outcomes due to heart failure as a CVD consequence than non-diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia is the main culprit that triggers the activation of oxidative damage, inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis pathways that aggravate diabetic CVD progression. In recent years, the development of phytochemical-based nutraceutical products for diabetic treatment has risen due to their therapeutic properties. Anthocyanin, which can be found in various types of plants, has been proposed for preventing and treating various diseases, and has elicited excellent antioxidative, anti-inflammation, anti-fibrosis, and anti-apoptosis effects. In preclinical and clinical studies, plants rich in anthocyanin have been reported to attenuate diabetic CVD. Therefore, the development of anthocyanin as a nutraceutical in managing diabetic CVD is in demand. In this review, we unveil the role of anthocyanin in modulating diabetic CVD, and its potential to be developed as a nutraceutical for a therapeutic strategy in managing CVD associated with DM.