Anthocyanins interaction with collagen, phospholipids and proteoglycans

Antioxidant activity | Inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases | Antiplatelet activity | Interaction with collagen, phospholipids and proteoglycans | Effect on arteriolar vasomotion | Chemoprevention | Cohort studies


In vitro anthocyanin extracts of V. myrtillus fruits are able to inhibit proteolytic enzymes like elastase, which are involved in the degradation of collagen and other components of the extravascular matrix in certain pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis, pulmonary emphysema, rheumatoid arthritis.⁽¹⁾ Anthocyanin extracts may interact with collagen metabolism, by cross-linking collagen fibres and making them more resistant to collagenase action.⁽²⁾ A reduction in biosynthesis of polymeric collagen and structural glycoproteins, responsible for thickening of capillary in diabetics, has also been described.⁽³⁾ Hystochemical and biochemical studies showed that anthocyanins from V. myrtillus interact with phospholipidic constituents of plasma membranes from the rat brain, potentially modifying their physical chemical properties and enhancing their resistance to lesive stimuli.⁽⁴⁾ Salmona et al.⁽⁵⁾ studied the influence of Bilberry 36% extract on membrane viscosity of platelets and confirmed that anthocyanins were able to modify the membrane fluidity due to their high affinity for membrane phospholipids.

A local stimulating effect of the anthocyanins from V. myrtillus on the biosynthesis of mucopolysaccharides in granuloma induced by foreign bodies was reported by Mian et al.⁽⁶⁾ Mucopolysaccharides are recognized to play an important role in maintaining the integrity of both perivascular tissue and the basal membrane. In an in vitro study, using endothelial cells from human umbilical cord, Piovella et al.^{(7, 8)} reported that anthocyanins induced active phagocytosis of pigment material and intense cell regeneration. A growth promoting activity on fibroblasts and on smooth muscle cells was also reported in the same study.
Anthocyanins may facilitate the regeneration both of the cellular component of the vessel wall and of the perivascular tissues, due to their stimulating effect on mucopolysaccharides.

1. Jonadet M, Meunier MT, Bastide J, Bastide P., "Anthocyanosides extracted from Vitis vinifera, Vaccinium myrtillus and Pinus maritimus. I. Elastase-inhibiting activities in vitro. II. Compared angioprotective activities in vivo", J Pharm Belg. 1983 Jan-Feb;38(1):41-6.
2. Robert A.M., Miskulin M., Godeau G., Tixier J.M. in "Frontiers of Matrix Biology", L. Robert (Ed), Vol. 7, Karger, Basel, 1979, pp 336-349.
3. Boniface R., Miskulin M., Robert L., Robert A.M., "Flavonoids and Bioflavonoids, 1985", L. Farkas, M. Gábor, F. Kallay (Eds), Elsevier, Amsterdam-Oxford-New York-Tokio 1986, pp 293-301.
4. Curri B.S., Bombardelli E., Therapia Angiol. 32, 117 (1976).
31. Salmona M., Masturzo P., Cini M., Morazzoni P., Magistretti M.J., in "Flavonoids in Biology and Medicine III: Current Issues in Flavonoids Research.", N.P. Das (Ed.), Singapore 1990, pp 475-480.
5. Mian E, Curri SB, Lietti A, Bombardelli E., "Anthocyanosides and the walls of the microvessels: further aspects of the mechanism of action of their protective effect in syndromes due to abnormal capillary fragility", Minerva Med. 1977 Oct 31;68(52):3565-81.
6. Piovella C., Curri B.S., Piovella M., Piovella F., Therapia Angiol. 35, 119 (1979).
7. Piovella F., Ricetti M.M., Almasio P., Feoli F.R., Pesenti Campagnoni M., Castagnola C., Min. Angiol. 6, 135 (1981).

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