Lignans

TY - CHAP

T1 - Lignans

AU - Knudsen, Knud Erik Bach

AU - Nørskov, Natalja

AU - Bolvig, Anne Katrine

AU - Hedemann, Mette Skou

AU - Lærke, Helle Nygaard

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - Plant lignans constitute a group of diphenolic compounds, including matairesinol, pinoresinol, medioresinol, lariciresinol, sesamin, syringaresinol, secoisolariciresinol, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, and hydroxymatairesinol, widely distributed in foods and beverages, of which the most important are whole grains, seeds, nuts, vegetables, berries, and tea and coffee. In order to be absorbed, ingested lignans have to be hydrolyzed by endogenous or bacterial enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract to lignan aglycones which can be absorbed directly or converted by colonic bacteria to the enterolignans enterolactone and enterodiol. The generally accepted view is that the enterolactone and enterodiol are taken up in circulation where they provide protection against several diseases, including cancer (breast, prostate, and colorectal), cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. Studies with flaxseeds, sesamin, and cereals, however, have shown that a certain fraction of the plant lignans is absorbed as such but with a half-life much lower than that of the enterolignans. The biological role of absorbed plant lignans is unknown, but cell studies have indicated that plant lignans could have antiinflammatory and other cellular effects. It is concluded that in order to obtain a full picture of the health properties of lignans, future studies should include the plant lignans as well.

AB - Plant lignans constitute a group of diphenolic compounds, including matairesinol, pinoresinol, medioresinol, lariciresinol, sesamin, syringaresinol, secoisolariciresinol, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, and hydroxymatairesinol, widely distributed in foods and beverages, of which the most important are whole grains, seeds, nuts, vegetables, berries, and tea and coffee. In order to be absorbed, ingested lignans have to be hydrolyzed by endogenous or bacterial enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract to lignan aglycones which can be absorbed directly or converted by colonic bacteria to the enterolignans enterolactone and enterodiol. The generally accepted view is that the enterolactone and enterodiol are taken up in circulation where they provide protection against several diseases, including cancer (breast, prostate, and colorectal), cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. Studies with flaxseeds, sesamin, and cereals, however, have shown that a certain fraction of the plant lignans is absorbed as such but with a half-life much lower than that of the enterolignans. The biological role of absorbed plant lignans is unknown, but cell studies have indicated that plant lignans could have antiinflammatory and other cellular effects. It is concluded that in order to obtain a full picture of the health properties of lignans, future studies should include the plant lignans as well.

KW - Bioactivity

KW - Enterolignans

KW - Kinetics

KW - Microbiota

KW - Plant lignans

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105007967769

U2 - 10.1002/9781119563754.ch10

DO - 10.1002/9781119563754.ch10

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 9781119563723

SP - 365

EP - 406

BT - Dietary Polyphenols

A2 - Tomás‐Barberán, Francisco A.

A2 - González‐Sarrías, Antonio

A2 - García‐Villalba, Rocio

PB - Wiley

CY - Hoboken

ER -