Amy L. Stockert

By Amy L. Stockert and Tarek M. Mahfouz

Part of the book: Antimicrobial Agents

By Amy L. Stockert and Seth Hall

The chapter summarizes available research on polyphenols and the potential for polyphenol based therapeutics. Polyphenols have the potential to be used in a multi-target fashion therapeutically. The majority of the polyphenol benefits appear to share positive effects across multiple disease states including inflammatory diseases, diseases of metabolic dysregulation and cancer. The reviewed literature includes human, animal and cell culture based studies. Selected mechanisms within each disease state are highlighted including interleukin inflammatory markers, NF-κB, acetyl-CoA concentration regulation of metabolism, and p-glycoprotein multidrug efflux pump associated with cancer treatment failures. Reviewed studies discuss polyphenols inhibiting transcription factors that control expression on inflammatory factors as well as activating other transcription factors that increase expression of enzymes protective of oxidative damage. Levels of metabolic regulatory enzymes are also affected positively by polyphenol addition through epigenetic modifications. Epigenetic modifications affecting cancer development and progression appear positively affected by polyphenol treatment. Additionally, oxidative damage protection of normal cells can be achieved by polyphenol treatment thus limiting chemotherapeutic damage. Upon review of the available literature, a strong case for the potential use of polyphenols in therapeutic situations stands out. Potential risks included are that the purity and specific concentrations required to achieve therapeutic benefits without potential side effects need to be examined prior to the adoption of therapeutics.

Part of the book: Functional Foods

By Amy L. Stockert and Sean Mild

Foods and herbs have long been used medicinally and the interest in natural product therapies have returned in the recent decades. PPARγ is a transcription factor that regulates expression of a variety of metabolic genes. The discovery of full activators of PPARγ have been useful in the treatment of diabetes but are not without side effects. The discovery of food based PPARγ ligands have allowed the exploration of natural treatment of a variety of diseases with potentially fewer side effects due to the ligand based activation rather than full activation. Here we present background on the PPARγ transcription factors and summarize several compounds and the food sources that have demonstrated therapeutic potential for disease states including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Part of the book: Current Topics in Functional Food