Biological activities of berries: From antioxidant capacity to anti‐cancer effects

Abstract

Consumption of berries has been implicated with diverse health benefits, such as prevention of stroke, of age-related degenerative diseases and cancer. Some berry constituents have been proven to have cancer preventive actions on chemically induced tumors in vivo and cancer suppressive effects in in vitro studies. Many of these effects were attributed to certain berry phytochemicals with high antioxidative potential that could contribute to, or enhance by induction, the endogenous antioxidant properties of living cells or organisms. Producers and the consumers of berry products need more comprehensive and accurate information on the type and level of health benefits that can be expected from different products. The choice of the chemical or biological test that best predicts specific health benefits of berries is crucial to provide targets for berry breeding programmes or to improve processing methods. The aim of this review is to examine the chemical and biological tests developed to characterize the impact of berries on consumer health.

Andean berries from Ecuador: A review on Botany, Agronomy, Chemistry and Health Potential

“…Berries and their derived products have been shown to be exceptional functional products since they provide significant health benefits on several chronic conditions, including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases because of their high content in phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fibre and the interactive synergies among their phytochemical components [11][12][13][14]. Recently, South American berries have been object of an increased interest mainly due to their potential health benefits and to the growing consumer interest in novel exotic fruits, particularly by international markets [12,15].…”

Individual and combined effects of foods on helicobacter pylori growth

“…Omega-3 oil and blackcurrant oil also demonstrated antibacterial activity, with no visible H. pylori growth following co-culture with 0.025% and 0.25% (v/v) suspensions of these oils respectively ( Table 1). The anti-H. pylori effect of blackcurrant seed oil and omega-3 oil may be related to their respective n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content (Thompson et al, 1994), whereas H. pylori sensitivity to an extract of bilberry may be due the dark-coloured anthocyanins that are the predominating group of fl avonoids found in this fruit (Chatterjee et al, 2004;Juranic and Zizak, 2005). Berries are rich sources of phenolic acids which, together with fl avonoid acids, form the building blocks for polymeric tannins that have antibacterial activity (reviewed by Puupponen-Pimia et al 2005).…”

Nutrition and the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer: Association of Cytochrome P450 CYP1B1 With the Role of Fruit and Fruit Extracts

“…27 Also, in the past few years there has been considerable research in this context concerning various types of berries, with significant risk reduction benefits observed. 28,29 One reviewer cites evidence considered overwhelming that indicates that edible small and soft-fleshed berry fruits have beneficial effects against several types of human cancer. 29 In connection with the possible role of CYP1B1 in fruit-mediated cancer prevention and treatment, a breakthrough occurred a few years ago that involved the phytochemical resveratrol, found in grapes, cranberries, and peanuts, which is well known to have cancer chemopreventive and therapeutic potential operating by a number of suspected mechanisms.…”