Absorption of Anthocyanin Rutinosides after Consumption of a Blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum L.) Extract

Single anthocyanins effectiveness modulating inflammation markers in obesity: dosage and matrix composition analysis

Anthocyanins (ACNs) are phytochemicals with numerous bioactivities, e.g., antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Health benefits from consuming ACN-rich foods, extracts, and supplements have been studied in clinical trials (CT). However, the individual effect of single ACNs and their correlation with doses and specific bioactivities or molecular targets have not been thoroughly analyzed. This review shows a recompilation of single anthocyanins composition and concentrations used in CT, conducted to investigate the effect of these anti-inflammatory derivatives in obese condition. Single anthocyanin doses with changes in the levels of frequently monitored markers were correlated. In addition, the analysis was complemented with reports of studies made in vitro with single ACNs. Anthocyanins' efficacy in diseases with high baseline obesity-related inflammation markers was evidenced. A poor correlation was found between most single anthocyanin doses and level changes of commonly monitored markers. Correlations between cyanidin, delphinidin, and pelargonidin derivatives and specific molecular targets were proposed. Our analysis showed that knowledge of specific compositions and anthocyanin concentrations determined in future studies would provide more information about mechanisms of action.

Biomarkers of Berry Intake: Systematic Review Update

Berries are rich in (poly)phenols, and these compounds may be beneficial to human health. Estimating berry consumption through self-reported questionnaires has been challenging due to compliance issues and a lack of precision. Estimation via food-derived biomarkers in biofluids was proposed as a complementary alternative. We aimed to review and update the existing evidence on biomarkers of intake for six different types of berries. A systematic literature search was performed to update a previous systematic review on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus from January 2020 until December 2022. Out of 42 papers, only 18 studies were eligible. A multimetabolite panel is suggested for blueberry and cranberry intake. Proposed biomarkers for blueberries include hippuric acid and malvidin glycosides. For cranberries, suggested biomarkers are glycosides of peonidin and cyanidin together with sulfate and glucuronide conjugates of phenyl-γ-valerolactone derivatives. No new metabolite candidates have been found for raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, and blackberries. Further studies are encouraged to validate these multimetabolite panels for improving the estimation of berry consumption.

Effect of Blackcurrant Consumption on the Genitourinary System: A Literature Review

Both in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that functional plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables, and berries can enhance health, have preventive effects, and reduce the risk of several chronic diseases. This review discusses blackcurrant fruit usage in humans and experimental animals and its effect on the genitourinary system (GUS). This comprehensive review demonstrates that blackcurrants and their bioactive compounds possess medicinal and therapeutic properties related to the GUS. Emphasis in the literature has been placed on the bioavailability of the active blackcurrant components. Nonetheless, future clinical trials are needed to investigate and improve the bioavailability of blackcurrant phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins, and to expand the evidence that active blackcurrant compounds can treat various genitourinary diseases.

Protein-binding approaches for improving bioaccessibility and bioavailability of anthocyanins

Color is an important characteristic of food. Over the last 15 years, more attention has been paid to natural colorants because of the rising demand for clean-label food products. Anthocyanins, which are a group of phytochemicals responsible for the purple, blue or red hues of many plants, offer a market advantage. In addition, anthocyanin-rich foods are associated with protection against cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, diabetes, cancer, microbial-based disorders, neurological disorders, and vision ailments. However, the real health value of anthocyanins, whether as a natural colorant or a functional ingredient, is dependent on the ultimate bioaccessibility and bioavailability in the human body. Many animal and human clinical studies revealed that, after intake of anthocyanin-rich foods or anthocyanin extracts, only trace amounts (< 1% of ingested content) of anthocyanins or their predicted metabolites were detected in plasma after a standard blood draw, which was indicative of low bioavailability of anthocyanins. Protein binding to anthocyanins is a strategy that has recently been reported to enhance the ultimate bioactivity, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability of anthocyanins as compared to anthocyanins delivered without a protein carrier. Therefore, in this review, we address anthocyanin properties in food processing and digestion, anthocyanin-protein complexes used in food matrices, and changes in the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of anthocyanins when bound into anthocyanin-protein complexes in foods. Finally, we summarize the challenges and prospects of this delivery system for anthocyanin pigments.

Anthocyanins: Metabolic Digestion, Bioavailability, Therapeutic Effects, Current Pharmaceutical/Industrial Use, and Innovation Potential

In this work, various concepts and features of anthocyanins have been comprehensively reviewed, taking the benefits of the scientific publications released mainly within the last five years. Within the paper, common topics such as anthocyanin chemistry and occurrence, including the biosynthesis of anthocyanins emphasizing the anthocyanin formation pathway, anthocyanin chemistry, and factors influencing the anthocyanins' stability, are covered in detail. By evaluating the recent in vitro and human experimental studies on the absorption and bioavailability of anthocyanins present in typical food and beverages, this review elucidates the significant variations in biokinetic parameters based on the model, anthocyanin source, and dose, allowing us to make basic assumptions about their bioavailability. Additionally, special attention is paid to other topics, such as the therapeutic effects of anthocyanins. Reviewing the recent in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological studies on the therapeutic potential of anthocyanins against various diseases permits a demonstration of the promising efficacy of different anthocyanin sources at various levels, including the neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, antiobesity, and anticancer effects. Additionally, the studies on using plant-based anthocyanins as coloring food mediums are extensively investigated in this paper, revealing the successful use of anthocyanins in coloring various products, such as dietary and bakery products, mixes, juices, candies, beverages, ice cream, and jams. Lastly, the successful application of anthocyanins as prebiotic ingredients, the innovation potential of anthocyanins in industry, and sustainable sources of anthocyanins, including a quantitative research literature and database analysis, is performed.

The Effects of Berry Extracts on Oxidative Stress in Cultured Cardiomyocytes and Microglial Cells: A Potential Cardioprotective and Neuroprotective Mechanism

Oxidative stress is a key underlying factor in cognitive decline and atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress occurs at the cellular level with an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species and a deficiency in antioxidants. Mounting evidence suggests that berry flavonoids may promote cellular health by exerting antioxidant properties. Black currant and various berry extracts were tested in microglia (BV-2) and cardiomyocyte (HL-1) cell lines to study their biological effects. The principal ingredients in black currant and cranberry extract–delphinidin 3-rutinoside (D3R) and cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G), were also assessed. A menadione-induced oxidative stressor was used, and its output was quantified to detect oxidative stress (CellROX^TM). Black currant extract had similar antioxidant effects as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in HL-1 cells with regard to cellular protection, whereas cranberry extract was ineffective. In contrast, cranberry extract was comparable in effectiveness to black currant extract in BV-2 cells. D3R and C3G also reduced oxidative stress similarly to whole berry extracts, which indicates that these ingredients may confer the antioxidant effects of berries. Black currant and cranberry extracts inhibit oxidative stress in microglial and cardiomyocyte cell lines. Black currant extract was more effective in reducing oxidative stress in the HL-1 cells, whereas cranberry extract was comparable in reducing oxidative stress in the BV-2 cells. The results suggest that berry flavonoids exert neuro- and cardioprotective effects.

Evaluation of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability of Polyphenols, Anthocyanins, and Their Metabolites

Anthocyanins (ACs) are able to protect neurons against β-amyloid-induced neurotoxicity. In this study, we evaluated blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of these compounds using a model kit to clarify the mechanism of AC on the brain. Black currant or strawberry AC extract was orally administrated to male Wistar rats. The urine and extirpated brain were collected before and after administration and analyzed quantitatively by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. After administration of AC, several phenolic acids were detected in the urine samples. Further, AC and some AC metabolites were found in the brain tissue. BBB permeabilities of these compounds were much lower than the positive control. Epigallocatechin, daidzein, genistein, equol, and nobiletin presented high BBB permeability, whereas apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, and kaempferol showed medium permeability, and epicatechin, rutin, fisetin, resveratrol, and curcumin BBB permeation was neglected. These results suggested that ACs were difficult to cross BBB into the brain and ACs were not directly associated with the prevention of β-amyloid-induced neurotoxicity.

Bioavailability, Absorption, and Metabolism of Pelargonidin-Based Anthocyanins Using Sprague-Dawley Rats and Caco-2 Cell Monolayers

The present study is aimed to clarify the absorption and metabolism properties of pelargonidin-based anthocyanins. Results showed that pelargonidin-3-O-rutinoside (Pg3R) was absorbed in its intact form after oral administration and reached a maximum plasma concentration of 175.38 ± 55.95 nM at 60 min. Three main metabolites were identified in plasma, including Pg3R-monoglucuronide (m/z 755.2046), Pg3R-hydroxylated (m/z 595.1644), and Pg3R-demethylated (m/z 565.1569) metabolites. The plasma concentration of the Pg3R-demethylated metabolite (57.04 ± 23.15 nM) was much higher than that of other two metabolites, indicating that demethylation was the main metabolic pathway for Pg3R, while the glucuronide conjugate was detected as the dominant metabolic form of pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside (Pg3G). The bioavailability of Pg3R (1.13%) was fourfold higher than that of Pg3G (0.28%), demonstrating that anthocyanins linked to the rutinoside may exhibit higher bioavailability than that of glucoside. In vitro transport study unveiled that passive diffusion and active efflux were involved in the absorption of Pg3R and Pg3G.

A Red-Berry Mixture as a Nutraceutical: Detailed Composition and Neuronal Protective Effect

Recommendations towards increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables are well supported by epidemiological and clinical trials. However, in some specific cases, it is difficult to follow these recommendations and the use of nutraceuticals or, in the present work, a freeze-dried fruits mixture can be recommended in order to afford the optimal consumption of dietary polyphenols naturally present in fruits and vegetables. In this work we have carefully characterized a red-berry mixture in terms of polyphenol composition, encountering mainly anthocyanins, which account for a total of 2.8 mg/g as cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents. Additionally, we have assayed the red-berry blend in a cell model of neurological damage by differentiating the cells and measuring the effect of red-berry polyphenols on cell viability and redox state by flow cytometry. The berry-fruit extract showed an inhibitory effect on differentiated SH-SY5Y ROS formation at a concentration as low as 250 µg/mL (33% inhibition). The results show the potential of this berry-fruit blend for its nutraceutical use in the prevention of the neurodegeneration associated with age or environmental agents.

Potential of Beetroot and Blackcurrant Compounds to Improve Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of metabolic abnormalities, which together lead to increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as well as reduced quality of life. Dietary nitrate, betalains and anthocyanins may improve risk factors for MetS and reduce the risk of development of CHD and T2DM. Beetroot is a rich source of dietary nitrate, and anthocyanins are present in high concentrations in blackcurrants. This narrative review considers the efficacy of beetroot and blackcurrant compounds as potential agents to improve MetS risk factors, which could lead to decreased risk of CHD and T2DM. Further research is needed to establish the mechanisms through which these outcomes may occur, and chronic supplementation studies in humans may corroborate promising findings from animal models and acute human trials.

Plasma uptake of selected phenolic acids following New Zealand blackcurrant extract supplementation in humans

New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract is a rich source of anthocyanins and in order to exert physiological effects, the anthocyanin-derived metabolites need to be bioavailable in vivo. We examined the plasma uptake of selected phenolic acids following NZBC extract supplementation alongside maintaining a habitual diet (i.e. not restricting habitual polyphenol intake). Twenty healthy volunteers (nine females, age: 28 ± 7 years, height 1.73 ± 0.09 m, body mass 73 ± 11 kg) consumed a 300 mg NZBC extract capsule (CurraNZ^®; anthocyanin content 105 mg) following an overnight fast. Venous blood samples were taken pre and 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h post-ingestion of the capsule. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for analysis of two dihydroxybenzoic acids [i.e. vanillic acid (VA) and protocatechuic acid (PCA)] and one trihydroxybenzoic acid [i.e. gallic acid (GA)] in plasma following NZBC extract supplementation. Habitual anthocyanin intake was 168 (95%CI:68-404) mg⋅day^-1 and no associations were observed between this and VA, PCA, and GA plasma uptake by the NZBC extract intake. Plasma time-concentration curves revealed that GA, and PCA were most abundant at 4, and 1.5 h post-ingestion, representing a 261% and 320% increase above baseline, respectively, with VA remaining unchanged. This is the first study to demonstrate that an NZBC extract supplement increases the plasma uptake of phenolic acids GA, and PCA even when a habitual diet is followed in the days preceding the experimental trial, although inter-individual variability is apparent.

Extraction, Identification, and Health Benefits of Anthocyanins in Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L.)

The fruit of the blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) is round-shaped, dark purple, bittersweet, and seed-containing edible berries. The blackcurrant has been used as a traditional medicine in both Asia and European countries. It is known as a rich source of antioxidants, largely due to its high content of phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins. Studies on anthocyanins from blackcurrants have adopted different extraction methods and a panel of anthocyanins has been identified in them. Research on the health benefits of blackcurrant anthocyanins has also grown. To present a general overview of research in blackcurrant anthocyanins, this review focuses on the extraction methods of anthocyanins from blackcurrants and the molecular mechanisms underlying their health benefits.

Extracts of Digested Berries Increase the Survival of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during H2O2 Induced Oxidative Stress

Many studies suggest anthocyanins may prevent the development of several diseases. However, anthocyanin bioactivity against cellular stress is not fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of berry anthocyanins on stressed cells using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The impact of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on anthocyanin profiles was also assessed. Bilberry and blackcurrant had higher anthocyanin levels than raspberry and strawberry, but digestion reduced the detected anthocyanins by approximately 90%. Yeast cells with and without digested or nondigested anthocyanin extracts were exposed to H₂O₂ and examined for survival. In the presence of anthocyanins, particularly from digested strawberry, a significant increase in cell survival was observed, suggesting that the type and levels of anthocyanins are important factors, but they also need to undergo gastrointestinal (GI) structural modifications to induce cell defence. Results also showed that cells need to be exposed to anthocyanins before the stress was applied, suggesting induction of a cellular defence system by anthocyanins or their derivatives rather than by a direct antioxidative effect on H₂O₂. Overall, data showed that exposure of severely stressed yeast cells to digested berry extracts improved cell survival. The findings also showed the importance of considering gastrointestinal digestion when evaluating anthocyanins’ biological activity.

Food intake biomarkers for berries and grapes

Grapes and berries are two types of widely consumed fruits characterized by a high content in different phytochemicals. However, their accurate dietary assessment is particularly arduous, because of the already wide recognized bias associated with self-reporting methods, combined with the large range of species and cultivars and the fact that these fruits are popularly consumed not only in fresh and frozen forms but also as processed and derived products, including dried and canned fruits, beverages, jams, and jellies. Reporting precise type and/or quantity of grape and berries in FFQ or diaries can obviously be affected by errors. Recently, biomarkers of food intake (BFIs) rose as a promising tool to provide accurate information indicating consumption of certain food items. Protocols for performing systematic reviews in this field, as well as for assessing the validity of candidate BFIs have been developed within the Food Biomarker Alliance (FoodBAll) Project. This paper aims to evaluate the putative BIFs for blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, blackcurrant, and grapes. Candidate BFIs for grapes were resveratrol metabolites and tartaric acid. The metabolites considered as putative BFI for berries consumption were mostly anthocyanins derivatives together with several metabolites of ellagitannins and some aroma compounds. However, identification of BFIs for single berry types encountered more difficulties. In the absence of highly specific metabolites reported to date, we suggested some multi-metabolite panels that may be further investigated as putative biomarkers for some berry fruits.

Anthocyanins: From the Field to the Antioxidants in the Body

Anthocyanins are biologically active water-soluble plant pigments that are responsible for blue, purple, and red colors in various plant parts-especially in fruits and blooms. Anthocyanins have attracted attention as natural food colorants to be used in yogurts, juices, marmalades, and bakery products. Numerous studies have also indicated the beneficial health effects of anthocyanins and their metabolites on human or animal organisms, including free-radical scavenging and antioxidant activity. Thus, our aim was to review the current knowledge about anthocyanin occurrence in plants, their stability during processing, and also the bioavailability and protective effects related to the antioxidant activity of anthocyanins in human and animal brains, hearts, livers, and kidneys.

Anthocyanin Metabolites in Human Urine after the Intake of New Functional Beverages

Sugar intake abuse is directly related with the increase of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and insulin resistance. Along this line, the development of new beverages using alternative sweeteners could help with combatting the pathophysiological disorders associated to the consumption of sugar. To provide evidence on this issue, in the present work, the bioavailability of anthocyanins was evaluated after the acute ingestion of a new maqui-citrus-based functional beverage rich in polyphenols, and supplemented with a range of sweeteners including sucrose (natural high caloric), stevia (natural non-caloric), and sucralose (artificial non-caloric), as an approach that would allow reducing the intake of sugars while providing bioactive phenolic compounds (anthocyanins). This approach allowed the evaluation of the maximum absorption and the diversity of metabolites excreted through urine. The beverages created were ingested by volunteers (n = 20) and the resulting anthocyanin metabolites in their urine were analyzed by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS. A total of 29 degradation metabolites were detected: Caffeic acid, catechol, 3,4-dihidroxifenilacetic acid, hippuric acid, trans-ferulic acid, 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde, trans-isoferulic acid, and vanillic acid derivatives, where peak concentrations were attained at 3.5 h after beverage intake. Sucralose was the sweetener that provided a higher bioavailability for most compounds, followed by stevia. Sucrose did not provide a remarkably higher bioavailability of any compounds in comparison with sucralose or stevia. The results propose two sweetener alternatives (sucralose and stevia) to sucrose, an overused high calorie sweetener that promotes some metabolic diseases.

Therapeutic Effects of Anthocyanins for Vision and Eye Health

Anthocyanin (AC) is widely used as supplement of eye health in Europe and in East Asia. In this review, I describe AC effects to clarify the mechanism is important in order to understand the effects of AC on vision health. The bioavailability of AC is quite low but, reported as intact form and many kinds of metabolite. And AC passes through the blood-aqueous fluid barrier and blood-retinal barrier. In vitro study, AC had a relaxing effect on ciliary muscle which is important to treat both myopia and glaucoma. And AC stimulate the regeneration of rhodopsin in frog rod outer segment. Furthermore, AC could inhibit the axial length and ocular length elongation in a negative lens-induced chick myopia model. In addition, we summarized clinical studies of AC intake improved dark adaptation and transient myopic shift and the improvement on retinal blood circulation in normal tension glaucoma patients.

Bioaccessibility and biotransformation of anthocyanin monomers following in vitro simulated gastric-intestinal digestion and in vivo metabolism in rats

Anthocyanins (ANCs) are phytochemicals with several health effects and undergo significant degradation and subsequent biotransformation during complex metabolic processes. The aim of the present study was to determine the bioaccessibility and biotransformation of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) during the simulated gastric-intestinal digestion in vitro and the metabolism in rats in vivo. Characterization of C3G and its metabolites was conducted by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. After gastric-intestinal digestion, C3G was detected with a recovery of 88.31% in the gastric-digestive system, and a small amount of methylated-C3G occurred. In the intestinal-digestive system, C3G occurred with a recovery of 6.05%, and mainly decomposed into protocatechuic acid (PCA) and 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde. The pharmacokinetic trial of C3G in rats showed rapid elimination in plasma. In tissues, C3G underwent rapid absorption and metabolism into phenolic acids or their derivatives. C3G and methylated-C3G passed through the blood-brain barrier and caused rapid distribution of C3G in the brain. Understanding the conversion of C3G and its metabolites helps in the future design of dietary interventions and the exploration of biological activities of ACNs.