The Role of Polyphenolic Antioxidants in Health, Disease, and Aging

Abstract

Polyphenolic antioxidants from dietary sources are frequently a topic of interest due to widespread scientific agreement that they may help lower the incidence of certain cancers, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and DNA damage and even may have antiaging properties. On the other hand, questions still remain as to whether some antioxidants could be potentially harmful to health, because an increase in glycation-mediated protein damage (carbonyl stress) has been reported in some cases. Nevertheless, the quest for healthy aging has led to the extensive use of phytochemically derived antioxidants to disrupt age-associated deterioration in physiological function and to prevent many age-related diseases. Although a diet rich in the polyphenolic forms of antioxidants does seem to offer hope in delaying the onset of age-related disorders, it is still too early to define their exact clinical benefit for treating age-related disease. This review critically examines polyphenolic antioxidants, such as flavonoids, curcumene, and resveratrol in health, disease, and aging with the hope that a better understanding of the many mechanisms involved with these diverse compounds may lead to better health and novel treatment approaches for age-related diseases.

Department(s)

Chemistry

Keywords and Phrases

antioxidant; catechin; curcumin; epicatechin; epicatechin gallate; epigallocatechin gallate; epsilon viniferin pentaacetate; flavanone derivative; flavonoid; isoflavone derivative; luteolin; miyabenol C; polyphenol derivative; quercetin; resveratrol; resveratrol triacetate; unclassified drug; vineatrol; viniferin; vitisin A; vitisinol E; age; aging; caloric restriction; cancer incidence; carbonyl stress; cardiovascular disease; degenerative disease; deterioration; diet; DNA damage; hope; human; neuroprotection; nonhuman; priority journal; stress; Disease; Flavonoids; Health; Lipid Metabolism; Phenols

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1549-1684

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2010 Mary Ann Liebert, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 2010

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