Articles
Health promoting effects of secondary plant products
Article number
1329_15
Pages
123 – 132
Language
English
Abstract
Carotenoids and polyphenols are two groups of secondary plant products often focused by the media due to their possible health promoting effects.
Interestingly, these compounds are synthesized by plants to protect themselves against UV stress, insects, microorganisms, etc.
In recent decades, epidemiological studies demonstrated health-related effects of these plant ingredients for humans.
Various biological activities were discovered in in vitro experiments, in cell experiments and in animal studies.
The gold standard are human intervention studies, which are not yet done for all secondary plant products.
Carotenoids are lipophilic antioxidants with several other properties while polyphenols are widespread hydrophilic antioxidants.
Lutein is a yellow coloured carotenoid, comprised in green leafy vegetables.
There, lutein protects the chlorophyll against UV radiation.
The same preventive effects have been demonstrated for human skin.
Another part of the human body needing UV protection is the macula lutea, the yellow spot in the eye.
Destruction of the macula results in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In many human intervention studies, lutein intake out of supplements and food items improved the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and thus was an AMD prevention.
Two human intervention trials are presented showing MPOD improvement after regular intake of lutein and zeaxanthin out of a supplement or a food.
Apples are consumed very often as fruits or as products thereof.
They are a good source of various polyphenols, improving the antioxidant status.
In addition, birch pollen-related apple allergy was influenced by apple polyphenols.
Apple allergenicity decreased especially after enzymatic browning.
In vitro experiments showed inverse correlations between contents of polyphenols as well as polyphenol oxidase activity and in vitro allergic reactions, partly explaining why old apple cultivars are better tolerated by apple allergy sufferers.
These are only two examples of health-promoting effects of secondary plant products.
Interestingly, these compounds are synthesized by plants to protect themselves against UV stress, insects, microorganisms, etc.
In recent decades, epidemiological studies demonstrated health-related effects of these plant ingredients for humans.
Various biological activities were discovered in in vitro experiments, in cell experiments and in animal studies.
The gold standard are human intervention studies, which are not yet done for all secondary plant products.
Carotenoids are lipophilic antioxidants with several other properties while polyphenols are widespread hydrophilic antioxidants.
Lutein is a yellow coloured carotenoid, comprised in green leafy vegetables.
There, lutein protects the chlorophyll against UV radiation.
The same preventive effects have been demonstrated for human skin.
Another part of the human body needing UV protection is the macula lutea, the yellow spot in the eye.
Destruction of the macula results in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In many human intervention studies, lutein intake out of supplements and food items improved the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and thus was an AMD prevention.
Two human intervention trials are presented showing MPOD improvement after regular intake of lutein and zeaxanthin out of a supplement or a food.
Apples are consumed very often as fruits or as products thereof.
They are a good source of various polyphenols, improving the antioxidant status.
In addition, birch pollen-related apple allergy was influenced by apple polyphenols.
Apple allergenicity decreased especially after enzymatic browning.
In vitro experiments showed inverse correlations between contents of polyphenols as well as polyphenol oxidase activity and in vitro allergic reactions, partly explaining why old apple cultivars are better tolerated by apple allergy sufferers.
These are only two examples of health-promoting effects of secondary plant products.
Publication
Authors
V. Böhm
Keywords
carotenoids, polyphenols, antioxidant, age-related macular degeneration, apple allergy
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