Abstract
Plant tannins, including hydrolysable and condensed varieties, are well known antioxidants in medicinal plants, foods, and edible fruits. Their diverse biological properties and potential for disease prevention have been demonstrated by various in vitro and in vivo assays. A number of ellagitannins, the largest group of hydrolysable tannins, have been isolated from dicotyledoneous angiosperms and characterized. This diverse class of tannins is sub-grouped into simple ellagitannins, C-glycosidic ellagitannins, complex tannins (condensates of C-glycosidic tannins with flavan-3-ol), and oligomers up to pentamers. This review outlines and describes the chemotaxonomic significance of structural features in various types of ellagitannins found in plants belonging to the Myrtaceae, Onagraceae, and Melastomataceae families, which are all included in the order Myrtales. Any biological activities that have been reported, including antitumor and antibacterial effects as well as enzyme inhibition, are also reviewed.
Highlights
Plant tannins, one of the major groups of antioxidant polyphenols found in food and beverages, have attracted a lot of attention in recent years because of their multifunctional properties beneficial to human health
Unlike the condensed tannins that are widespread throughout the plant kingdom, ellagitannins have been found only in dicotyledoneous angiosperms
Among the plant families rich in ellagitannins are the Myrtaceae, Lythraceae, Onagraceae, Melastomataceae, and Combretaceae [3]. These families belong to the order Myrtales according to the plant classification systems of New Engler, Cronquist, and APGII [4]
Summary
One of the major groups of antioxidant polyphenols found in food and beverages, have attracted a lot of attention in recent years because of their multifunctional properties beneficial to human health. These diverse tannins may be divided into two large groups: condensed and hydrolysable. Among the plant families rich in ellagitannins are the Myrtaceae, Lythraceae, Onagraceae, Melastomataceae, and Combretaceae [3] These families belong to the order Myrtales according to the plant classification systems of New Engler, Cronquist, and APGII (angiosperm phylogeny group) [4]. Any observed antioxidative and antitumor effects of these ellagitannins are reviewed
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