Multiple effects of grape seed polyphenolics to prevent metabolic diseases

Abstract

Obesity is increasing in developing countries. Population studies show a relationship between affluence and obesity. Changing food intake patterns with affluence such as preference for foods with less astringent polyphenolic compounds and dietary fibers may increase risk of metabolic dysfunctions due to caloric imbalance. Animal models of obesity consistently show that grape seed procyanidins prevent increases in body and abdo- minal adipose weight gain, plasma cholesterol, liver weight gain and inflammation in animals on high fat diets. The mechanisms are not clear because the oral intake of procyanidins results in pleiotropic interactions with proteins in the mouth, stomach, small intestine, cecum and colon that affect the rate of digestion of bioavailability of macronutrients, sterols, and dietary fiber. Procyanidins also bind bile acids and reduce intestinal permeability to inflammatory bacterial cell wall fragment. Procyanidins are not degraded or metabolized until reaching the lower gut where they can be metabolized into phenolic acids by gut bacteria. While they are metabolized by gut bacteria, they also alter total numbers and distribution of phyla and species of gut bacteria. Gut bacteria are recognized as significant contributors to obesity and obesity related metabolic diseases. The review examines the different pleiotropic effects of grape seed procyanidins that have a significant effect on metabolic disease in animal models of obesity.