花青素是一种水溶性的植物色素。从广义上看,属酚类化合物中的类黄酮类。目前已经有8000多种酚类化合物被分离出来,其中有500多种是花青素。近年来对花青素可能对健康带来的好处的研究越来越多。将来花青素的这种特性在功能食品和保健食品中有可能得到日益广范的应用。在过去的二十年间越来越多的研究结果表明水果和蔬菜中的种酚类化合物多种多样的保护作用。其中包括抗氧性,抗过敏,抗炎症,抗病毒,抗细胞扩散,抗突变因素,抗微生物,抗癌,保护免受心血管损伤和过敏,改善微循环,预防周边微血管脆弱,预防糖尿病,和改善视觉等作用。为了帮助我们理解花青素的作用机制,本文总结了多年来花青素对于预防糖尿病和改善视觉方面的研究成果。
Anthocyanins are the largest group of water-soluble pigments in the plant kingdom, known collectively as flavonoids. More than 8000 flavonoids, and 500 anthocyanin structures had been reported by the year 2000 and more are continually being isolated. Anthocyanins are believed to display an array of beneficial actions on human health and well-being. Due to our increasing understanding and awareness of the potential beneficial human health effects, research on anthocyanins has recently intensified. During the past two decades an increasing number of studies have investigated the diverse protective effects elicited by polyphenolics present in various fruits and vegetables. These effects include antioxidant, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, antiproliferative, anti-mutagenic, anti-microbial, anti-carcinogenic, protection from cardiovascular damage and allergy, microcirculation improvement, peripheral capillary fragility prevention, diabetes prevention, and vision improvement. Other physiological effects are continually being investigated. The aim of the present article is to summarise the known anti-diabetic and eye function properties of anthocyanins to help in our understanding of their functional mechanism.