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- Title
Vaccinium Species (Ericaceae): From Chemical Composition to Bio-Functional Activities.
- Authors
Tundis, Rosa; Tenuta, Maria C.; Loizzo, Monica R.; Bonesi, Marco; Finetti, Federica; Trabalzini, Lorenza; Deguin, Brigitte
- Abstract
The genus Vaccinium L. (Ericaceae) includes more than 450 species, which mainly grow in cooler areas of the northern hemisphere. Vaccinium species have been used in traditional medicine of different cultures and the berries are widely consumed as food. Indeed, Vaccinium supplement-based herbal medicine and functional food, mainly from V. myrtillus and V. macrocarpon, are used in Europe and North America. Biological studies support traditional uses since, for many Vaccinium components, important biological functions have been described, including antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and endothelium protective activities. Vaccinium components, such as polyphenols, anthocyanins and flavonoids, are widely recognized as modulators of cellular pathways involved in pathological conditions, thus indicating that Vaccinium may be an important source of bioactive molecules. This review aims to better describe the bioactivity of Vaccinium species, focusing on anti-inflammatory and endothelial protective cellular pathways, modulated by their components, to better understand their importance for public health.
- Subjects
NORTH America; VACCINIUM; ERICACEAE; BERRIES; FUNCTIONAL foods; SPECIES; ANTHOCYANINS; PLANT polyphenols; HERBAL medicine
- Publication
Applied Sciences (2076-3417), 2021, Vol 11, Issue 12, p5655
- ISSN
2076-3417
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/app11125655