Affiliations: Laboratoire des Maladies M\'etaboliques et
Micronutriments (INRA), 63122 Saint-Gen\`es-Champanelle, France | Laboratoire de Chimie Biologique (INRA), INA-PG,
F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France | Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie Bioinorganique, UMR 7512
CNRS, Facult\'e de Chimie, 1 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67000 Strasbourg,
France | Unit\'e de Nutrition Humaine et Physiologie
Intestinale (INRA), INA-PG, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75231 Paris cedex 05,
France | Unit\'e d'Ecologie et de Physiologie du Syst\`eme
Digestif (INRA), Centre de Recherches de Jouy, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas cedex,
France
Note: [] Laboratoire des Maladies M\'etaboliques et Micronutriments
(INRA), 63122 Saint-Gen\`es-Champanelle, France. Fax: +33 (0)4 73 62 46 38;
E-mail: scalbert@clermont.inra.fr
Abstract: Proanthocyanidins share common properties with other polyphenols, in
particular their reducing capacity and ability to chelate metal ions. However,
their polymeric nature clearly makes them different. They have a high affinity
for proteins and their absorption through the gut barrier is likely limited to
the molecules of low polymerization degree and to the metabolites formed by the
colonic microflora, as suggested by {\it in vitro} experiments. The nutritional
significance of proanthocyanidins is discussed in relation to their
physico-chemical properties and bioavailability.
Keywords: proanthocyanidins, protein complexation, metal ion complexation, antioxidant capacity, bioavailability
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 13, no. 1-4, pp. 115-120, 2000
