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Flavanols and Proanthocyanidins

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Recent Advances in Redox Active Plant and Microbial Products

Abstract

There are many kinds of natural, oligo- and polymeric materials with very specific, almost unique properties. In the field of redox active secondary metabolites, the class of ‘condensed’ polyphenolic flavonoids, often referred to as proanthocyanidins or––at higher molecular weight––as tannins clearly stands out. Such substances are found in many edible berries and seeds, and are used extensively as food ingredients across the globe. As these compounds are oligomers or polymers of redox active monomers, they contain multiple redox sites, and hence show an extensive redox activity which often manifests itself in pronounced antioxidant properties. At the same time, the sheer number of phenol and (hydro-)quinone groups present in these molecules enables them to interact strongly with proteins via hydrogen bonding and in some instances even covalently. As a consequence, many of these natural products not only act as antioxidants, but also denature many proteins and enzymes and can even kill bacteria, fungi, and certain parasites. Ultimately, this unique combination of chemical reactivity and biological activity results in a number of apparent health benefits, which include antioxidant action but also the inhibition of digestive enzymes and the prevention of specific antimicrobial events. As such activities seem to be focused on the gastrointestinal tract, they are particularly interesting from the perspective of (a) antibacterial and anti-parasitic action in the gastrointestinal tract, (b) the control of the intestinal microflora, and (c) the control of nutrient uptake in the gut.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran

    Hadi Ebrahimnejad

  2. Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Saarland, 66041, Saarbruecken, Germany

    Hadi Ebrahimnejad, Torsten Burkholz & Claus Jacob

Authors
  1. Hadi Ebrahimnejad
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  2. Torsten Burkholz
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  3. Claus Jacob
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claus Jacob .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Bioorganic Chemistry/School of Pharmacy, University of Saarland, Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany

    Claus Jacob

  2. SRSMC UMR 7565, Université de Lorraine, Metz, Moselle, France

    Gilbert Kirsch

  3. Plant Physiology (Bio III), RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Alan Slusarenko

  4. Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom

    Paul G. Winyard

  5. Bioorganic Chemistry/School of Pharmacy, University of Saarland, Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany

    Torsten Burkholz

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Ebrahimnejad, H., Burkholz, T., Jacob, C. (2014). Flavanols and Proanthocyanidins. In: Jacob, C., Kirsch, G., Slusarenko, A., Winyard, P., Burkholz, T. (eds) Recent Advances in Redox Active Plant and Microbial Products. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8953-0_8

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