What Is Polyphenol
Polyphenol is a very broad class of substances that are structurally related. There is always a phenolic acid group attached to one of the benzene rings in bioflavonoids, therefore all bioflavonoids are also referred to as “polyphenols” or “phenols.” All of the compounds below are in the polyphenol class because they are structurally related (and may or may not be pigmented).
Polyphenols should be considered as compounds necessary for the various organs and tissues, and part of the countless substances necessary for proper functioning of this amazing organism we call the human body.
Groups of Polyphenol
- LIGNANS: lignans are a group of chemical compounds found in plants. Lignans are one of the major classes of phytoestrogens, which are estrogen-like chemicals and also act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidants.
- PHENOLIC STILBENES: a group of powerful polyphenol anti-oxidant that includes resvratrol, the active compound of red wine.
- FLAVONOIDS: a very broad class of compounds that are defined by color (pigment). The term is derived from the Latin word “flavus,” which means yellow. For originally, and chemically speaking correctly so, flavonoid was the name for yellow plant pigments, like lemons, oranges and grapefruits. All of the compounds below are in the flavonoid class, as they are related by their pigment.
- BIOFLAVONOIDS: the subgroup of flavonoids that possess biological activity. In some cases the differences between certain bioflavonoid members outnumber the similarities.
- FLAVANOLS (BIOFLAVANOLS): the group of compositions built from one molecule, “flavan-3-ol.” This molecule distinguishes itself by its natural tendency towards condensation–towards forming stable compositions of two, three, four or more flavan-3-ol molecules bonded to each other(clusters larger than pentamers are known as tannins, or polymeric proanthocyanidins).
- ANTHOCYANINS (ANTHOCYANIDINS): the polyphenols that have red pigments. Anthocyanins are highly fragile and they SOMETIMES exist in an acidic environment, such as in red wine.
- PROANTHOCYANIDINS (PROANTHOCYANINS): colorless polyphenols that are referred to as proanthocyanidins because the coloration towards red is their major trait of authentication from a chemical point of view. For example, when leaves naturally change from green to red in the fall, they transform colorless proanthocyanidins into colorful anthocyanidins. They exist before or pro the anthocyanidins .
- OLIGOMERIC PROANTHOCYANIDINS or PROANTHOCYANIDOLIC OLIGOMERS (OPC/PCO):naturally-occurring group of pairs and triples of the single molecule, “flavan-3-ol,” which is found in most plants.
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