Biophenols: The abundant redox-active dietary molecules of life

Abstract

Plants, in general and functional food plants particularly, have been analyzed to be the rich sources of numerous redox-active secondary metabolites. Phytophenols are undoubtedly the ubiquitous class of bioactive constituents of the human diet manifesting both nutritional and health benefits mediated largely by their redox property, reactive species-scavenging and metal chelating capacities and can mitigate oxidative stress-induced tissue damage associated with chronic diseases. Though the therapeutic potentials and the antioxidant/prooxidant capacities of the individual biophenols are themselves potential topics of debate, an ever-expanding quantum of scientific evidence does tend to support their protective role, via diet, against the presently mushrooming age-related degenerative disorders. The present review attempts to portray the status quo of dietary biophenols in the health and longevity.