Resveratrol (3,5,4′‐trihydroxystilbene) is a natural polyphenolic phytochemical with a variety of bioactivities associated with health promotion. Resveratrol is readily absorbed with the other absorbable digestion products of its main human dietary sources (peanuts, peanut butter, grapes, and red wine). The polyphenolic structure of resveratrol confers antioxidant activity and may reduce oxidant‐induced apoptosis and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. Resveratrol may be responsible, in part, for the correlation between increased wine consumption and decreased risk of coronary heart disease. The cardioprotective activity of resveratrol is associated with the inhibition of platelet aggregation and LDL oxidation and the promotion of artery vasorelaxation. As a chemoprevention agent, resveratrol has been shown to inhibit tumor initiation, promotion, and progression, as well as inhibit the growth of cancerous cells through increased apoptosis and/or cell cycle blockage. Inflammatory processes are associated in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases including heart disease and cancer. Resveratrol has been shown to reduce inflammation via inhibition of prostaglandin production, cyclooxygenase‐2 activity, and nuclear factor‐кB activity. In addition, the estrogenic activity of resveratrol may help prevent post‐menopausal bone loss. Modulation of cellular signal transduction pathways (such as mitogen‐activated protein kinases) may explain, in part, the diverse bioactivities associated with resveratrol. Scientific information summarized in this review supports the many potential health benefits of resveratrol; however, further understanding of the bioavailability, metabolism, and cellular effects of resveratrol is necessary.

Fruit extracts of four Vaccinium species (lowbush blueberry, bilberry, cranberry, and lingonberry) were screened for anticarcinogenic compounds by a combination of fractionation and in vitro testing of their ability to induce the Phase II xenobiotic detoxification enzyme quinone reductase (QR) and to inhibit the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis, by the tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA). The crude extracts, anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin fractions were not highly active in QR induction whereas the ethyl acetate extracts were active QR inducers. The concentrations required to double QR activity (designated CDqr) for the ethyl acetate extracts of lowbush blueberry, cranberry, lingonberry, and bilberry were 4.2, 3.7, 1.3, and 1.0 microgram tannic acid equivalents (TAE), respectively, Further fractionation of the bilberry ethyl acetate extract revealed that the majority of inducer potency was contained in a hexane/chloroform subfraction (CDqr = 0.07 microgram TAE). In contrast to their effects on QR, crude extracts of lowbush blueberry, cranberry, and lingonberry were active inhibitors of ODC activity. The concentrations of these crude extracts needed to inhibit ODC activity by 50% (designated IC50) were 8.0, 7.0, and 9.0 micrograms TAE, respectively. The greatest activity in these extracts appeared to be contained in the polymeric proanthocyanidin fractions of the lowbush blueberry, cranberry, and lingonberry fruits (IC50 = 3.0, 6.0, and 5.0 micrograms TAE, respectively). The anthocyanidin and ethyl acetate extracts of the four Vaccinium species were either inactive or relatively weak inhibitors of ODC activity. Thus, components of the hexane/chloroform fraction of bilberry and of the proanthocyanidin fraction of lowbush blueberry, cranberry, and lingonberry exhibit potential anticarcinogenic activity as evaluated by in vitro screening tests.

BackgroundCurcumin extracts of turmeric are proposed to produce health benefits. To date, human intervention studies have focused mainly on people with existing health problems given high doses of poorly absorbed curcumin. The purpose of the current study was to check whether in healthy people, a low dose of a lipidated curcumin extract could alter wellness-related measures.MethodsThe present study was conducted in healthy middle aged people (40–60 years old) with a low dose of curcumin (80 mg/day) in a lipidated form expected to have good absorption. Subjects were given either curcumin (N = 19) or placebo (N = 19) for 4 wk. Blood and saliva samples were taken before and after the 4 weeks and analyzed for a variety of blood and saliva measures relevant to health promotion.ResultsCurcumin, but not placebo, produced the following statistically significant changes: lowering of plasma triglyceride values, lowering of salivary amylase levels, raising of salivary radical scavenging capacities, raising of plasma catalase activities, lowering of plasma beta amyloid protein concentrations, lowering of plasma sICAM readings, increased plasma myeloperoxidase without increased c-reactive protein levels, increased plasma nitric oxide, and decreased plasma alanine amino transferase activities.ConclusionCollectively, these results demonstrate that a low dose of a curcumin-lipid preparation can produce a variety of potentially health promoting effects in healthy middle aged people.

Anthocyanins are potent antioxidants and may be chemoprotective. However, the structure-function relationships are not well understood. The objectives of this study were to compare the chemoprotective properties of anthocyanin-rich extracts (AREs) with variable anthocyanin profiles to understand the relationship between anthocyanin chemical structure and chemoprotective activity, measured as inhibition of colon cancer cell proliferation. Additionally, the chemoprotective interaction of anthocyanins and other phenolics was investigated. AREs with different anthocyanin profiles from purple corn, chokeberry, bilberry, purple carrot, grape, radish, and elderberry were tested for growth inhibition (GI 50) using a human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT29) cell line. All AREs suppressed HT29 cell growth to various degrees as follows: purple corn (GI 50 approximately 14 microg of cy-3-glu equiv/mL) > chokeberry and bilberry > purple carrot and grape > radish and elderberry (GI 50 > 100 microg of cy-3-glu equiv/mL). Anthocyanins played a major role in AREs' chemoprotection and exerted an additive interaction with the other phenolics present. Statistical analyses suggested that anthocyanin chemical structure affected chemoprotection, with nonacylated monoglycosylated anthocyanins having greater inhibitory effect on HT-29 cell proliferation, whereas anthocyanins with pelargonidin, triglycoside, and/or acylation with cinnamic acid exerted the least effect. These findings should be considered for crop selection and the development of anthocyanin-rich functional foods.