Food Polyphenols as Preventive Medicine

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the initiators in foods and in the stomach of oxidized dietary lipids, proteins, and lipid-oxidation end-products (ALEs), inducing in humans the development of several chronic diseases and cancer. Epidemiological, human clinical and animal studies supported the role of dietary polyphenols and derivatives in prevention of development of such chronic diseases. There is much evidence that polyphenols/derivatives at the right timing and concentration, which is critical, acts mostly in the aerobic stomach and generally in the gastrointestinal tract as reducing agents, scavengers of free radicals, trappers of reactive carbonyls, modulators of enzyme activity, generators of beneficial gut microbiota and effectors of cellular signaling. In the blood system, at low concentration, they act as generators of electrophiles and low concentration of H2O2, acting mostly as cellular signaling, activating the PI3K/Akt-mediated Nrf2/eNOS pathways and inhibiting the inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB, inducing the cells, organs and organism for eustress, adaptation and surviving.

Cytotoxic Activity of the Red Grape Polyphenol Resveratrol against Human Prostate Cancer Cells: A Molecular Mechanism Mediated by Mobilization of Nuclear Copper and Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species

“…Thus, it is logical to assume that the concentrations of resveratrol required would be lower in cancer cells compared to normal cells, owing to the elevated levels of intracellular copper in cancer cells. Multiple studies [45][46][47][48] and this study have demonstrated the cytotoxic effects of lower quantities of resveratrol on cancer cells. To further establish this phenomenon, non-tumorigenic epithelial MCF-10A cells are cultured with copper enrichment to replicate the copper state of cancer cells in the body.…”

Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Treatment of Eczema by Berberine Hydrochloride-Loaded Liposomes-in-Gel

“…Sodium alginate itself also has a certain antioxidant effect; research showed that in a certain mass concentration range, sodium alginate solution could show good antioxidant effects [32]. The scavenging rate on H 2 O 2 by sodium alginate was higher than the scavenging on DPPH radicals, and the strong oxidizing properties of H 2 O 2 may have damaged its molecular structure [33]. Overall, both BBH and BBH-L-Gel have good antioxidant properties, and they complement each other and are suitable for the treatment of skin diseases in a state of inflammation such as eczema.…”

Dietary Phenolic Compounds—Wellbeing and Perspective Applications

“…Polyphenols can act synergically in the gut and bloodstream against various biotic and abiotic stressors [126]. Studies support the preventive role of polyphenols in the fight against diseases [127], free radicals, gut health [128], and cholesterol oxidation products [129], among others.…”