Znaczenie fizjologiczne oraz biodostępność betacjanin

*Monika Szalaty

Summary
Betacyanins are red water-soluble nitrogen-containing plant pigments. Betacjanins known for a long time as safe colorants for food are phytochemicals, that were recently classified as compounds with antioxidant and radical scavenging activities. Red pigments are not so common as violet anthocyanins. Some families of Caryophyllales order of plants contain them, including the edible red beet and cactus pear.
Betanin, a principle betacyanin shows antiproliferative effects on human tumor cell lines. Recent studies showed that betanin enters tumor cells and alters mitochondrial membrane integrity, leading to cytochrome c leakage, activation of caspases and nuclear disintegration, all alterations typical of cells undergoing apoptosis. Moreover, betanin in micromolar concentration inhibit cell membrane lipid oxidation and lipoproteins LDL peroxidation.
According to recent reports, betanin bioavaiability is low as was obtained for other phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. The limited availability of dietary betacyanins significantly reduces their presence in plasma and the target cells. Betacyanins do not cause increases in plasma antioxidant capacity after beetroot or cactus pear consumption. However low concentration of antioxidant is probably sufficient to work intracellulary in redox reactions and signal trunsduction pathways.

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