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Review Article: Biological activities and health-related potential of plant phenolic compounds
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D. Sunakbaeva *   |
| Department of Ecology and Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan |
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Abstract: (15 Views) |
lant-derived foods and medicinal resources contain a wide diversity of bioactive compounds that may contribute to biological functions in plants and potential health effects in humans. Among these compounds, phenolic compounds constitute an important group of plant secondary metabolites and include phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, stilbenes, tannins, coumarins, and related structures. Their chemical diversity contributes to a broad range of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, enzyme-modulating, and cell-signaling effects.
Phenolic compounds have attracted considerable scientific interest because many of them can interact with reactive oxygen species, inflammatory mediators, enzymes, receptors, and intracellular signaling pathways. Experimental studies have also reported antimicrobial, antiviral, antiproliferative, cardiometabolic, and neuroprotective effects for selected compounds. However, these activities vary substantially according to molecular structure, concentration, chemical form, metabolism, and experimental conditions. In particular, findings obtained from in vitro and animal studies cannot necessarily be extrapolated to therapeutic effects in humans.
This narrative review summarizes the structural diversity, biological activities, mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and metabolism of plant phenolic compounds, with particular attention to the factors that influence their biological relevance. Current evidence indicates that digestion, absorption, phase I and phase II metabolism, and transformation by the gut microbiota can substantially modify the forms and concentrations of phenolic compounds available to tissues. Inter-individual differences in metabolism and microbiota may further contribute to variability in biological responses. Future research should therefore focus on structure–activity relationships, physiologically relevant concentrations, bioactive metabolites, long-term safety, and well-designed human intervention studies. Such evidence will be important for determining the realistic potential of phenolic compounds in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical development.
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| Keywords: Phenolic compounds, plant resources, flavonoids, biological activity, secondary metabolites, polyphenols |
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Full-Text [PDF 276 kb]
(4 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Applicable |
Subject:
General
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