Biological functions of plant pigment phytochemicals in humans

Abstract

Phytochemicals, which are naturally according compounds in plant foods, are reported to provide various biological functions in humans. In particular, plant pigment phytochemicals, carotenoids and flavonoids, are the most extensively studied phytochemicals for their antioxidant functions as well as potential preventive medicinal benefits such as maintaining inflammation balance, reducing the risk of certain cancers, and promoting cardiovascular, neurocognitive, eye, and bone health in humans. The plant pigment phytochemical content in plants can vary according to but not limited to the varieties, genotypes, culture conditions, maturity, storage conditions, and thermal processing. In addition, their bioavailability in humans can be affected by various factors such as food matrix, structure, interactions with other nutrients, site of absorption, and their metabolism. Currently proposed biological functions of plant pigment phytochmicals in humans and various factors affecting such functions are discussed in this review.