LAUSR

Phenolic compounds are important functional bioactive substances distributed in various food plants. They have gained wide interests from researchers due to their multiple health benefits. There are two forms of phenolic compounds: free form and bound form. The latter is also called bound phenolics (BPs), which are found mainly in cell wall and distributed in various tissues/organs of plant body. They can either chemically bound to macromolecules and food matrices or physically entrapped in food matrices and intact cells. Various isolation methods, including chemical, biological and physical methods, have been employed to extract BPs from plants. BPs have been shown to have strong biological activities, including antioxidant, probiotic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects, as well as beneficial effects on central nervous system diseases. This review summarizes research finding on these topics to help in better understanding of BPs and provide comprehensive information on their health effects.