Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Polyphenolic phytochemicals – just antioxidants or much more?

  • Review
  • Published:
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

Polyphenolic phytochemicals are ubiquitous in plants, in which they function in various protective roles. A ‘recommended’ human diet contains significant quantities of polyphenolics, as they have long been assumed to be ‘antioxidants’ that scavenge excessive, damaging, free radicals arising from normal metabolic processes. There is recent evidence that polyphenolics also have ‘indirect’ antioxidant effects through induction of endogenous protective enzymes. There is also increasing evidence for many potential benefits through polyphenolic-mediated regulation of cellular processes such as inflammation. Inductive or signalling effects may occur at concentrations much lower than required for effective radical scavenging. Over the last 2 – 3 years, there have been many exciting new developments in the elucidation of the in vivo mechanisms of the health benefits of polyphenolics. We summarise the current knowledge of the intake, bio-availability and metabolism of polyphenolics, their antioxidant effects, regulatory effects on signalling pathways, neuro-protective effects and regulatory effects on energy metabolism and gut health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. E. Stevenson.

Additional information

Received 14 May 2007; received after revision 27 June 2007; accepted 24 July 2007

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stevenson, D.E., Hurst, R.D. Polyphenolic phytochemicals – just antioxidants or much more?. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 64, 2900–2916 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-007-7237-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-007-7237-1

Keywords.

Navigation