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Review
. 2021 Nov:97:108787.
doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108787. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

Bioactivity, bioavailability, and gut microbiota transformations of dietary phenolic compounds: implications for COVID-19

Paula R Augusti  1 , Greicy M M Conterato  2 , Cristiane C Denardin  3 , Inês D Prazeres  4 , Ana Teresa Serra  4 , Maria R Bronze  5 , Tatiana Emanuelli  6
Affiliations
Review

Bioactivity, bioavailability, and gut microbiota transformations of dietary phenolic compounds: implications for COVID-19

Paula R Augusti et al. J Nutr Biochem. 2021 Nov.

Abstract

The outbreak of mysterious pneumonia at the end of 2019 is associated with widespread research interest worldwide. The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) targets multiple organs through inflammatory, immune, and redox mechanisms, and no effective drug for its prophylaxis or treatment has been identified until now. The use of dietary bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds (PC), has emerged as a putative nutritional or therapeutic adjunct approach for COVID-19. In the present study, scientific data on the mechanisms underlying the bioactivity of PC and their usefulness in COVID-19 mitigation are reviewed. In addition, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects of dietary PC are studied. Moreover, the implications of digestion on the putative benefits of dietary PC against COVID-19 are presented by addressing the bioavailability and biotransformation of PC by the gut microbiota. Lastly, safety issues and possible drug interactions of PC and their implications in COVID-19 therapeutics are discussed.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Curcumin; Immune system; Inflammation; Oxidative stress; Quercetin; Resveratrol; SARS-CoV-2.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The fate of dietary PC during human digestion. Note that the low bioavailability of parent PC along with the interplay between dietary PC and gut microbiota plays a key role in human health. The gut–lung axis, which links the changes in the gastrointestinal tract to the changes in the respiratory system, would probably play a key role in the dietary approaches for attenuating COVID-19-associated ARDS.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The interplay between dietary PC and gut microbiota, and its putative role in protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. ACE2: angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. PC: phenolic compounds. F/B ratio: Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio. PCA: protocatechuic acid. Dashed lines and squares indicate indirect evidence and putative effects, respectively.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Representation of PCs’ effects that probably contribute to attenuating COVID-19 manifestations. EGCG, epigallocatechin gallate; PC, phenolic compounds.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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