Abstract
The consumption of a diet low in fat and enhanced by fruits and vegetables, especially rich in phenolic compounds, may reduce risks of many civilization diseases. The use of traditional medicines, mainly derived from plant sources, has become an attractive segment in the management of many lifestyle diseases. Concerning the application of dietary supplements (based on phenolic compounds) in common practice, the ongoing debate over possible adverse effects of certain nutrients and dosage levels is of great importance. Since dietary supplements are not classified as drugs, their potential toxicities and interactions have not been thoroughly evaluated. First, this review will introduce phenolic compounds as natural substances beneficial for human health. Second, the potential dual mode of action of flavonoids will be outlined. Third, potential deleterious impacts of phenolic compounds utilization will be discussed: pro-oxidant and estrogenic activities, cancerogenic potential, cytotoxic effects, apoptosis induction and flavonoid-drug interaction. Finally, future trends within the research field will be indicated.
Highlights
Phenolic compounds are constituents of fruits, vegetables, nuts, plant-derived beverages – tea and wine, and traditional Eastern medicines such as Ginkgo biloba, as well as components present in a plethora of herbal dietary supplements
Phenolic compounds have been known as plant pigments for over a century and belong to a vast group widely distributed in all foods of plant origin
Hydrolyzable tannins are polymers readily hydrolyzed by acids into their components: a central core constituted by a polyol and a phenolic carboxylic acid esterifying partially or totally the core molecule
Summary
Toxicological aspects of the use of phenolic compounds in disease prevention Zuzana KYSELOVA Institute of Experimental Pharmacology & Toxicology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, SK-84104 Bratislava, Slovakia
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