monocyclic phenolic acids; hydroxy- and polyhydroxybenzoic acids occurrence and recent bioactivity studies单环酚酸;.pdfVIP

Molecules 2010, 15, 7985-8005; doi:10.3390/molecule OPEN ACCESS molecules ISSN 1420-3049 /journal/molecules Review Monocyclic Phenolic Acids; Hydroxy- and Polyhydroxybenzoic Acids: Occurrence and Recent Bioactivity Studies Shahriar Khadem * and Robin J. Marles Natural Health Products Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, 2936 Baseline Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: shahriar.khadem@hc-sc.gc.ca; Tel.: +1-613-954-7526; Fax: +1-613-954-1617. Received: 19 October 2010; in revised form: 3 November 2010 / Accepted: 4 November 2010 / Published: 8 November 2010 Abstract: Among the wide diversity of naturally occurring phenolic acids, at least 30 hydroxy- and polyhydroxybenzoic acids have been reported in the last 10 years to have biological activities. The chemical structures, natural occurrence throughout the plant, algal, bacterial, fungal and animal kingdoms, and recently described bioactivities of these phenolic and polyphenolic acids are reviewed to illustrate their wide distribution, biological and ecological importance, and potential as new leads for the development of pharmaceutical and agricultural products to improve human health and nutrition. Keywords: polyphenols; phenolic acids; hydroxybenzoic acids; natural occurrence; bioactivities 1. Introduction Phenolic compounds exist in most plant tissues as secondary m