{"title":"Dietary Epicatechin, A Novel Anti-aging Bioactive Small Molecule.","authors":"Hongwei Si, Chao-Qiang Lai, Dongmin Liu","doi":"10.2174/0929867327666191230104958","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Epicatechin (EC), a flavonoid present in various foods including cocoa, dark chocolate, berries, and tea, has recently been reported to promote general health and survival of old mice fed a standard chow diet. This is considered a novel discovery in the field of identifying natural compounds to extend lifespan, given that presumably popular anti-aging natural agents including resveratrol, green tea extract, and curcumin had failed in extending the lifespan of standard chow-diet-fed mice. However, the anti-aging mechanism of EC is not fully understood, thus impeding the potential application of this natural compound in improving a healthy lifespan in humans. In this review, we first summarized the main dietary sources that contain a significant amount of EC and recent research regarding the absorption, metabolism and distribution of EC in humans and rodents. The review is then focused on the anti-aging effects of EC in cultured cells, animals and humans with the possible physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its lifespan-extending effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":10984,"journal":{"name":"Current medicinal chemistry","volume":"28 1","pages":"3-18"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"20","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current medicinal chemistry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867327666191230104958","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 20
Abstract
Epicatechin (EC), a flavonoid present in various foods including cocoa, dark chocolate, berries, and tea, has recently been reported to promote general health and survival of old mice fed a standard chow diet. This is considered a novel discovery in the field of identifying natural compounds to extend lifespan, given that presumably popular anti-aging natural agents including resveratrol, green tea extract, and curcumin had failed in extending the lifespan of standard chow-diet-fed mice. However, the anti-aging mechanism of EC is not fully understood, thus impeding the potential application of this natural compound in improving a healthy lifespan in humans. In this review, we first summarized the main dietary sources that contain a significant amount of EC and recent research regarding the absorption, metabolism and distribution of EC in humans and rodents. The review is then focused on the anti-aging effects of EC in cultured cells, animals and humans with the possible physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its lifespan-extending effects.
期刊介绍:
Aims & Scope
Current Medicinal Chemistry covers all the latest and outstanding developments in medicinal chemistry and rational drug design. Each issue contains a series of timely in-depth reviews and guest edited thematic issues written by leaders in the field covering a range of the current topics in medicinal chemistry. The journal also publishes reviews on recent patents. Current Medicinal Chemistry is an essential journal for every medicinal chemist who wishes to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments.