Anthocyanidins

Anthocyanidins are flavonoids that have shown promise in animal studies for strengthening blood vessels, improving circulation, and preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

As a flavonoid, these compounds have excellent antioxidant properties.

Also, anthocyanidins have shown ability to prevent blood platelets from clumping together, thus helping to reduce the risk of blood clots which may lead to heart attack or stroke.

They also boost the production of rhodopsin, which is a pigment that improves night vision.

The compounds are found, for example, from the bilberry fruit, which also has tannins, a compound group with anti-inflammatory properties.

Anthocyanidins - Studies

Magistretti NJ, Conti M, Cristini A. Antiulcer activity of an anthocyanidin from Vaccinium myrtillus. Arzneim-Forsch. 1988;38:686–690.

Wang,H., Cao,G. and Prior,R.L. (1997) Oxygen radical absorbing capacity of anthocyanins. J. Agric. Food Chem., 45, 304–309.

Wang,H., Nair,M.G., Strasburg,G.M., Chang,Y.-C., Booren,A.M., Gray,J.I. and DeWitt,D.L. (1999) Antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities of anthocyanins and their aglycon, cyanidin, from tart cherries. J. Nat. Prod., 64, 294–296.

Tsuda,T., Horio,F. and Osawa,T. (2000) The role of anthocyanins as an antioxidant under oxidative stress in rats. Biofactors, 13, 133–139.

Tsuda,T., Shiga,K., Ohshima,K., Kawakishi,S. and Osawa,T. (1996) Inhibition of lipid peroxidation and the active oxygen radical scavenging effect of anthocyanin pigments isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris L. Biochem Pharmacol., 52, 1033–1039.

Kamei,H., Kojima,T., Hasegawa,M., Koide,T., Umeda,T., Yukawa,T. and Terabe,K. (1995) Suppression of tumor cell growth by anthocyanins in vitro. Cancer Invest., 13, 590–594.

Meiers,S., Kemeny,M., Weyand,U., Gastpar,R., von Angerer,E. and Marko,D. (2001) The anthocyanidins cyanidin and delphinidin are potent inhibitors of the epidermal growth-factor receptor. J. Agric. Food Chem., 49, 958–964.

Hagiwara,A., Yoshino,H., Ichihara,T., Kawabe,M., Tamano,S., Aoki,H., Koda,T., Nakamura,M., Imaida,K., Ito,N. and Shirai,T. (2002) Preven tion by natural food anthocyanins, pupple sweet potato color and red cabbage color, of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)-associated colorectal carcinogenesis in rats initiated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. J. Toxicol. Sci., 27, 57–68.

Noda,Y., Kaneyuki,T., Mori,A. and Packer,L. (2002) Antioxidant activities of pomegranate fruit extract and its anthocyanidins: delphinidin, cyanidin and pelargonidin. J. Agric. Food Chem., 50, 166–171.


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