Antioxidative activity and health benefits of anthocyanin-rich fruit juice in healthy volunteers

Abstract

Oxidative cell damage has been linked to the pathogenesis of numerous diseases such as atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The consumption of foods rich in polyphenols (e.g. anthocyanins) has been shown to exert preventive effects against such diseases. We investigated the biological effects of anthocyanin-rich fruit juice in a 9-week, placebo-controlled intervention study with 57 healthy male volunteers. The study design encompassed an initial 1 week of wash-out, followed by 8 weeks of intervention period with anthocyanin-rich fruit juice or placebo. The anthocyanin-rich fruit juice demonstrated DNA-protective and antioxidant effects; however, the placebo beverage, rich in vitamin C, showed similar effects based on the tested biomarkers. A significant reduction in background and total DNA strand breaks was observed in both groups within 24 h as well as after 8 weeks of intervention. Only anthocyanin-rich fruit juice consumption provided a significant reduction in body fat and an increase in fat-free mass. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly elevated after consumption of anthocyanin-rich fruit juice. Both groups showed decreased levels of LDL and total cholesterol (TC) within the first week of the intervention. Similar results in both groups could be explained by the relatively high vitamin C contents of both beverages (>500 mg/L), which may have masked the effects of anthocyanins and other antioxidants in the studied juice. Taken together, anthocyaninrich fruit juice as well as the placebo drink, both of which had high vitamin C content, can improve DNA integrity and might influence lipid metabolism in humans.

Consumption of anthocyanin-rich beverages affects Nrf2 and Nrf2-dependent gene transcription in peripheral lymphocytes and DNA integrity of healthy volunteers

“…Furthermore, the DNA integrity was affected by the anthocyanin-rich beverages. Taken together, the applied red fruit juice blend (beverage 1) showed the most promising properties for further studies on long-term effects of a consumer-relevant anthocyanin-rich juice, as recently shown by Bakuradze et al [25].…”

Tart cherry juice consumed daily for 4 weeks does not impair or exacerbate biomarkers of metabolic function in at‑risk overweight and obese subjects: A randomized, crossover pilot study

“…The consumption of deeply pigmented foods rich in polyphenolic anthocyanins (ACNs), with marked antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, has been shown to exert preventive effects against chronic diseases. In a placebo-controlled intervention (n=57), ACN-rich juice consumption for 9 weeks caused DNA protective and antioxidant effects, which were also observed unexpectedly in the placebo group (15). The authors of that study proposed that vitamin C was responsible for the placebo effect.…”

“…and obese subjects: A randomized, crossover pilot study of less nutritious, calorie-dense beverages, such as soft drinks (12,13). Moreover, numerous fruit juices are produced from exotic 'superfruits', such as noni, maqui, acai, goji, pomegranate, etc., due to their complement of beneficial bioactive, e.g., antioxidant, compounds, which can lead to robust health benefits (14,15). However, there is limited published information available on the toxicity profiles of some dietary fruit juices due to their prevalence in the food supply, common use and the general lack of evidence that would support safety concerns.…”

In Vitro Inhibition of Phosphodiesterase 3B (PDE 3B) by Anthocyanin-Rich Fruit Juice Extracts and Selected Anthocyanins

“…Besides the ACs, the abovementioned fruits also contain so-called copigments-colorless phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins that can stabilize the colored structural form of the ACs and enhance their color intensity through intermolecular interactions or shifts in maximum absorption [4]. Several studies showed that ACs and copigments possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties and are associated with numerous health benefits [6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Reports also suggest that lipolytic activity can be influenced by polyphenols such as flavonoids and flavanones via inhibition of 3 ,5 -cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-phosphodiesterase, as demonstrated by an increasing cAMP level [13,14].…”