Recent Advances and Perspectives on the Health Benefits of Urolithin B, A Bioactive Natural Product Derived From Ellagitannins

Abstract

Urolithin (Uro) B is a natural compound produced by gut bacteria from ingested ellagitannins (ETs) and ellagic acid (EA), complex polyphenols abundant in foods such as pomegranates, raspberries, blueberries and chestnuts. Uro B has recently garnered considerable attention owing to its wide range of nutraceutical effects and relatively high potency. According to several studies, Uro B prevents the development of hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and tumors due to its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Many reviews have systematically summarized the health benefits and pharmacological activities of ETs, EA and urolithins (especially Uro A) while available reviews or detailed summaries on the positive impact of Uro B are rarer. Here, we sought to review the pharmacological activity, mechanism of action, regulation of immune function and its associated diseases and preventive potential of Uro B to elucidate its function as a nutritional agent in humans.

Keywords: anti-aging; antioxidant; biological effect; nutritional agent; urolithin B.

FIGURE 1

A schematic view of ellagitannins and ellagic acid gut microbiota metabolism pathway.

FIGURE 2

Schematic representation illustrating ¹¹C-labeled positron emission tomography (PET) for the development and use of Urolithins. (1) Generation of ¹¹C-labeled Urolithins, (2) Injection of ¹¹C-labeled Urolithins into patients, (3) PET images effectively captured using the PET-CT imaging system, (4) Discovery of new targets, individualized drug therapy or population pharmacokinetics using this system.