Chapter 5:Health Benefits of Anthocyanins

Abstract

Over the past two decades, an increasing number of studies have shown the potential health-promoting benefits of dietary anthocyanins. This chapter highlights recent scientific evidence suggesting that efficacious amounts of ingested anthocyanins have the potential to reduce the risk of major chronic disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, certain cancers, cardiovascular disorders, type 2 diabetes, and certain ocular diseases. In general, most commonly reported overlapping mechanisms of action of anthocyanins involve their ability to control redox regulation and chronic inflammation. However, it is evident that anthocyanins are multi-targeting and are capable of regulating different transcription factors and cellular signaling pathways in multiple diseases. Clinical trials show that anthocyanin-rich berry consumption can improve memory and cognitive functions in older adults. Anthocyanin intervention also has the potential to suppress all the ten hallmarks of cancer, leading to mitigation of carcinogenesis and metastasis. This chapter also summarizes recent clinical trials that emphasize the inverse association between anthocyanin consumption and cardiovascular disease risk. In addition, some anthocyanins can alleviate complications in type 2 diabetes by inhibiting intestinal glucose absorption, inducing pancreatic insulin secretion, upregulating glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), and suppressing hepatic gluconeogenesis. A compelling body of evidence also suggests that regular consumption of dietary anthocyanins can improve eye health.