Numerous studies have revealed the health benefits of betalains in supplements, arising from their high antioxidant capacity.
Betalains and beet extracts have emerged as potent anti-inflammatory agents. At least part of their anti-inflammatory effects seem to be mediated by interference with pro-inflammatory signaling cascades.
The most important of these is the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) cascade, as it directly activates and transcribes most target genes that regulate and amplify the inflammatory response (cytokines, chemokines, apoptotic and phagocytic cells). Consequently, NF-kB activity plays a central role in inflammatory processes manifesting in chronic diseases.
Betalains are natural pigments, red-purple in color, derived from tyrosine and belonging to the Caryophyllales family. They are classified as violet-red betacyanin and yellow-orange betaxanthins. Betalamic acid is the core of these two betalain pigments, synthesized from tyrosine. The color of beetroot or any other Caryophyllales plant is strongly influenced by the betacyanin/betaxanthin ratio, which typically ranges from 1 to 3.
In addition to their coloring properties, betalains also possess several biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, etc. These two properties of betalains make them a nutraceutical agent for the production of betalain supplements, among other applications.
Chemical Composition of Betalains
Betalains are water-soluble vacuolar pigments containing nitrogen, composed of betalamic acid as the central structure. Chemically, betalain consists of two structural groups: betacyanin and betaxanthin. Betalain biosynthesis begins with the hydroxylation of tyrosine to form betalamic acid, followed by subsequent cyclization and condensation with imino acids or amino acid derivatives to form betaxanthin or betacyanin.
Additionally, these two pigments are classified into several other classes depending on the condensation of the chemical fraction to the central structure. Among them, the main reported betacyanin pigments are betanin, isobetanin, and neobetanin, while betaxanthins are known to consist of vulgaxanthin I, vulgaxanthin II, and indicaxanthin.
Antioxidant Activity of Betalain
The antioxidant potential of betalain is enhanced when a hydroxyl group is at the C-5 site of the aglycone, while in the case of betaxanthin, it can transfer an electron from conjugated orbitals. In this respect, betaxanthin is generally less potent than betacyanin in terms of antioxidants.
However, betaxanthins possess more hydroxyl and imino residues that can enhance free radical scavenging potential. Various in vivo and ex vivo studies focus on the antioxidant effect of betalains and their derivatives.
Anti-inflammatory Activity of Betalain
Pro-inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory mediators substantially contribute to the progression of cellular damage and functional impairment of tissues under pathological conditions.
Betalains and their derivatives have been shown to have multi-organ protective properties, starting with the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF, which positively regulate inflammatory reactions.
Organ-protective Effects of Betalains
Cardioprotective Effect
Several clinical studies have demonstrated that beet juice supplementation successfully reduced high cholesterol, lipid profile, and systolic blood pressure in adults. However, most researchers stated that the reduction of oxidative stress and the cholesterol or hypertension-lowering effect of beet juice were related to the presence of nitrate.
Nevertheless, betalain is the main bioactive pigment present in beetroot. Therefore, numerous studies lean towards the effect of betalain on cardiovascular diseases.
Hepatoprotective Effect
Beet juice can prevent liver damage through metabolic changes. In this context, the hepatoprotective effects of beet juice were studied in rats with N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver damage, and it was reported that prolonged feeding of beet juice increases Phase II enzyme activity, thus activating the Nrf2 antioxidant response element pathway.
Additionally, pre-treatment with beet juice significantly decreased the N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced increase in ALT, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and succinate dehydrogenase activities. The results suggested that betanin exerts a hepatoprotective effect on the non-tumoral THLE-2 cell line through Nrf2 activation induced by mitogen-activated protein kinases.
Renal Protection
The effect of betanin on nephrotoxicity was examined. In general, betalains could improve kidney function and protect the kidney through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Neuroprotective Effect
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are current global challenges and are caused by alterations in the neuronal complex. To understand it, knowledge of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, endothelial dysfunction, and metabolic imbalance are the most important.
To some extent, the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the release of ROS through various pathways contribute to the aforementioned condition, for example, inflammation at the microglial and neuronal level in Alzheimer’s disease due to amyloid accumulation, resulting in a decrease in neurotransmitters and cognitive symptoms.
According to studies, betalains act as neuroprotective compounds because they reduce inflammation and oxidative stress caused by neurotoxins, amyloid aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, microglial activation in the brain, thus protecting against neurodegeneration.
Pulmonary Protection
The lung facilitates gas exchange through the inhalation of oxygen and exhalation of CO2. While exposure to various environmental toxins causes narrowing and obstruction of the airways, leading to clinical conditions such as asthma, pulmonary edema, airway inflammation with and without infection, and ultimately malignancy.
Additionally, in cases of limb ischemia and reperfusion, the lung is the most vulnerable organ, and inflammation-related complications can occur. In this work, betalains demonstrated the ability to overcome the aforementioned conditions both ex vivo and in vivo.
Additionally, in asthmatic conditions, the ingestion of betalains resulted in a reduction in lung weight due to mucus drainage, infiltration of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and a decrease in IgE and cytokine levels.
Intestinal Protective Effect
Gastrointestinal diseases such as celiac disease, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Crohn’s disease are the main diseases associated with inflammation and damage to the intestinal lining. Various cellular and in vivo studies have demonstrated that betalains have the potential to protect the stomach and intestine from inflammation and disease-related damage.
Reproductive-protective Effect
Exposure to different toxins can induce a decrease in gamete production and other functional deformities. Inflammation associated with reprotoxicity and oxidative damage is likely to occur, which is why betalain and its derivatives have shown a protective effect against such inflammation and free radical-related damage.
The health benefits of betalains have been studied and extensively reported. Various recent research focuses on the multi-organ protective effect of betalains and their derivatives through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways.
This information can be used to understand how betalains and their derivatives positively regulate organ functionality during deterioration.
Additionally, this would provide the mechanism of betalains and their derivatives to negatively regulate inflammation and oxidative stress mediators, which can provide new insights to the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.
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25 betalain ingredient suppliers:
- Cargill
- DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences
- Ingredion
- Kerry Group
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
- Lubrizol
- Givaudan
- Symrise
- Firmenich
- BASF
- FMC Corporation
- DSM
- Corbion
- Sensient Technologies
- Chr. Hansen
- Dow Chemical
- Evonik Industries
- Ajinomoto
- IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances)
- Naturex
- Ashland
- Bioiberica
- CP Kelco
- DSM Nutritional Products
- Food Ingredient Solutions (FIS)
