Unveiling the multifaceted roles of anthocyanins: a review of their bioavailability, impacts on gut and system health, and industrial implications

Abstract

Anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids abundant in many fruits and vegetables, undergo complex catabolism, forming bioactive metabolites that profoundly affect a range of host physiological processes, including anti-inflammatory effects, modulation of oxidative stress, and modulation of the intestinal barrier. Despite this, the low bioavailability of anthocyanins presents challenges for their metabolic efficacy, health benefits, and therapeutic engagement in vivo. Therefore, the multifaceted roles of structurally diverse anthocyanins from different sources and the interplay between anthocyanin bioavailability and gut and systemic health were analyzed in depth. Additionally, we discuss how the dynamic gut microbial communities, i.e., growth/inhibition of certain microbial species, are regulated in diverse pathology models and the implications for anthocyanin metabolism and bioactivity in the context of gut and system health. A comprehensive analysis of the physicochemical factors affecting anthocyanin bioavailability and molecular mechanisms across disease models is undertaken. We further propose prospective techniques to enhance bioavailability, such as encapsulation, biotransformation, and omics-driven stratification of responder populations, as well as actionable insights for industry applications, including tailored food matrix design such as protein-polyphenol complexes, prebiotic co-delivery systems, and personalized nutrition strategies leveraging gut microbiota modulation. Ultimately, we advocate high-throughput analysis coupled with computational approaches such as AI-driven predictive modeling of anthocyanin-microbiota interactions to elucidate structure-activity relationships. These strategies are critical for determining whether observed health effects are attributable to anthocyanins per se or their synergistic/context-dependent actions, essential for enhancing bioavailability and therapeutic applications, thereby enabling rational dietary inclusion and therapeutic translation.