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Pharmaceuticals
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Unraveling the Multifaceted Role of Polyphenols in Health Issues
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Unraveling the Multifaceted Role of Polyphenols in Health Issues

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2024 | Viewed by 4219

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hélder Oliveira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
REQUIMTE/LAQV, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: anthocyanins; bioavailability; food chemistry; biochemistry; human nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ana Fernandes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
REQUIMTE/LAQV, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo 6 Alegre, 689, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: agro-food residues and wastes; anthocyanins; functional food; polysaccharides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polyphenols have garnered increasing attention for their potential health-promoting properties not only among the scientific community but also among the general population. Polyphenols encompass a wide array of chemical compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes, each with unique structures and bioactive properties. Their presence in nature extends to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, tea, coffee, and even some spices, contributing to the vibrant colors, flavors, and protective mechanisms of these foods.

Across the globe, dietary patterns rich in polyphenol-containing foods have been integral to traditional cuisines. These dietary habits have not only shaped cultural identities but have also been associated with lower incidences of chronic diseases.

The scientific community has amassed substantial evidence regarding the role of polyphenols in preventing and managing major health issues. Numerous epidemiological studies have established associations between higher polyphenol intake and reduced risks of diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and more. The biological mechanisms underlying these protective effects include antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory activities, modulation of cellular signaling pathways, and interactions with gut microbiota. Besides that, recent studies have shown that the interaction of polyphenols with the food matrix (such as polysaccharides and proteins) may play a critical role in polyphenol stability and consequent bioactivity.

With this Special Issue, we want to bring together leading experts to review and present the latest research findings and clinical trials that elucidate the connections between polyphenols and health outcomes. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the therapeutic potential of polyphenols in food, for the management and prevention of diseases, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of their role in promoting global health.

As guest editors, we kindly invite you to submit your latest research or an updated review on this issue.

Dr. Hélder Oliveira
Dr. Ana Fernandes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polyphenols
  • bioactivity
  • bioavailability
  • functional foods
  • polysaccharides

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4189 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Mechanism of Salvianolic Acid B against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Based on Network Pharmacology
by Qianping Mao, Chongyu Shao, Huifen Zhou, Li Yu, Yida Bao, Yali Zhao, Jiehong Yang and Haitong Wan
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(3), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17030309 - 28 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1377
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the mechanisms through which salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) exerts its effects during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI), aiming to demonstrate the potential pharmacological characteristics of Sal-B in the management of coronary heart disease. First, Sal-B-related targets and MI/RI-related genes [...] Read more.
This study aimed to explore the mechanisms through which salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) exerts its effects during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI), aiming to demonstrate the potential pharmacological characteristics of Sal-B in the management of coronary heart disease. First, Sal-B-related targets and MI/RI-related genes were compiled from public databases. Subsequent functional enrichment analyses using the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, gene ontology (GO), and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) predicted the core targets and approaches by which Sal-B counters MI/RI. Second, a Sal-B-treated MI/RI mouse model and oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) H9C2 cell model were selected to verify the main targets of the network pharmacological prediction. An intersectional analysis between Sal-B and MI/RI targets identified 69 common targets, with a PPI network analysis highlighting caspase-3, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) as central targets. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated remarkable enrichment of the apoptosis pathway among these targets, suggesting their utility in experimental studies in vivo. Experimental results demonstrated that Sal-B treatment not only mitigated myocardial infarction size following MI/RI injury in mice but also modulated the expression of key apoptotic regulators, including Bcl-2-Associated X (Bax), caspase-3, JNK, and p38, alongside enhancing the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression, thereby inhibiting myocardial tissue apoptosis. This study leveraged an integrative network pharmacology approach to predict Sal-B’s potential targets in MI/RI treatment and verified the involvement of key target proteins within the predicted signaling pathways through both in vivo and in vitro experiments, offering a comprehensive insight into Sal-B’s pharmacological mechanism in MI/RI management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unraveling the Multifaceted Role of Polyphenols in Health Issues)
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20 pages, 2201 KiB  
Article
First Insights on the Bioaccessibility and Absorption of Anthocyanins from Edible Flowers: Wild Pansy, Cosmos, and Cornflower
by Margarida Teixeira, Lorenzo De Luca, Ana Faria, Matteo Bordiga, Victor de Freitas, Nuno Mateus and Hélder Oliveira
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(2), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17020191 - 31 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1149
Abstract
Edible flowers are regaining interest among both the scientific community and the general population, not only for their appealing sensorial characteristics but also from the growing evidence about their health benefits. Among edible flowers, those that contain anthocyanins are among the most consumed [...] Read more.
Edible flowers are regaining interest among both the scientific community and the general population, not only for their appealing sensorial characteristics but also from the growing evidence about their health benefits. Among edible flowers, those that contain anthocyanins are among the most consumed worldwide. However, little is known regarding the bioaccessibility and absorption of their bioactive compounds upon ingestion. The aim of this work was to explore, for the first time, the behavior of anthocyanin-rich extracts from selected edible flowers under different food processing conditions and after ingestion using simulated digestions, as well as their absorption at the intestinal level. Overall, the results showed that the monoglucoside and rutinoside anthocyanin extracts were less stable under different pH, temperature, and time conditions as well as different digestive processes in the gastrointestinal tract. There was a prominent decrease in the free anthocyanin content after the intestinal phase, which was more pronounced for the rutinoside anthocyanin extract (78.41% decrease from the oral phase). In contrast, diglucoside and rutinoside anthocyanin extracts showed the highest absorption efficiencies at the intestinal level, of approximately 5% after 4 h of experiment. Altogether, the current results emphasize the influence of anthocyanins’ structural arrangement on both their chemical stability as well as their intestinal absorption. These results bring the first insights about the bioaccessibility and absorption of anthocyanins from wild pansy, cosmos, and cornflower and the potential outcomes of such alternative food sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unraveling the Multifaceted Role of Polyphenols in Health Issues)
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Review

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25 pages, 2515 KiB  
Review
Polyphenols: Natural Food-Grade Biomolecules for the Treatment of Nervous System Diseases from a Multi-Target Perspective
by Xinchen Wu, Yang Zhou, Yujiang Xi, Haimei Zhou, Zhengxiu Tang, Lei Xiong and Dongdong Qin
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(6), 775; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17060775 - 13 Jun 2024
Viewed by 682
Abstract
Polyphenols are the most prevalent naturally occurring phytochemicals in the human diet and range in complexity from simple molecules to high-molecular-weight polymers. They have a broad range of chemical structures and are generally categorized as “neuroprotective”, “anti-inflammatory”, and “antioxidant” given their main function [...] Read more.
Polyphenols are the most prevalent naturally occurring phytochemicals in the human diet and range in complexity from simple molecules to high-molecular-weight polymers. They have a broad range of chemical structures and are generally categorized as “neuroprotective”, “anti-inflammatory”, and “antioxidant” given their main function of halting disease onset and promoting health. Research has shown that some polyphenols and their metabolites can penetrate the blood–brain barrier and hence increase neuroprotective signaling and neurohormonal effects to provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Therefore, multi-targeted modulation of polyphenols may prevent the progression of neuropsychiatric disorders and provide a new practical therapeutic strategy for difficult-to-treat neuropsychiatric disorders. Therefore, multi-target modulation of polyphenols has the potential to prevent the progression of neuropsychiatric disorders and provide a new practical therapeutic strategy for such nervous system diseases. Herein, we review the therapeutic benefits of polyphenols on autism-spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, and sleep disorders, along with in vitro and ex vivo experimental and clinical trials. Although their methods of action are still under investigation, polyphenols are still seldom employed directly as therapeutic agents for nervous system disorders. Comprehensive mechanistic investigations and large-scale multicenter randomized controlled trials are required to properly evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and side effects of polyphenols. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unraveling the Multifaceted Role of Polyphenols in Health Issues)
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