Natural products of [i]ericaceae[/i] family and their nutritional and therapeutic potential - A review

Interest in natural products has practically “exploded” over the recent years owing to their nutritional and therapeutic properties and health benefits. [i]Ericaceae[/i], a family of herbs, shrubs and small trees, is known as a potential source of natural products. In traditional medicine as well as in the modern medicine, natural products found in the species belonging to [i]Ericaceae[/i] family are used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, urinary tract infections, digestive issues, visual and skin diseases. These health effects are largely attributed to different phytochemicals such as phenolic heterosides (arbutin), catechic tannins (proanthocyanidins), flavonoids (kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin as aglycons and glycosides), phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid), simple phenols (orcinol), triterpenes (oleanolic and ursolic acids), sterols (cholesterol, sitosterol, stigmasterol), compounds which are known to develop different biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and antibacterial effects1.Several approaches using in vitro methods, ex vivo techniques and in vivo models have been developed to assess the bioactivity and bioaccessibility of [i]Ericaceae[/i]-derived natural products2. For alcoholic and aqueous extracts there have been mentioned antioxidant and antibacterial effects, sedative effects by inhibition of monoaminoxidases, antiproliferative effects towards HL60 leukemia cells, anti-inflammatory effects by inhibition of NF-kB3. The aim of present review is to summarize the state of the art of the natural products from [i]Ericaceae[/i] species in relation to their bioavailability, a key to nutrient and therapeutic efficacy. The interest on [i]Ericaceae[/i] species is constantly growing due to their economic and ecological importance, many current researches focusing on their phytochemical profile and biological activity.