LAUSR

Delphinidin (Del) and its glycosides are the water-soluble pigments, belonging to the subgroup of flavonoids. Increasing evidence shows that they are health-promoting candidates for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical uses, as indicated by exhibiting the activities of anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-microorganism, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, and anti-cancer. Glycosylation modification of Del is associated with increased stability and reduced biological activity. Del and its glycosides can be the alternative inhibitors of CBRs, ERα/β, EGFR, BCRP and SGLT-1, and virtual docking indicates that the sugar moiety may not effectively interact with the active sites of the targets. Structure-based characteristics confer the multi-functions of Del and its glycosides. Due to their health-promoting effects, Del and its glycosides are promising and developed for potential pharmaceuticals. However, more investigation on the underlying mechanisms of Del and its glycosides in mediating cellular processes with high specificity are still needed. These are comprehensively reviewed in this article with the research progression of Del and its glycosides within the last ten years.