Cited by 322Phytochemicals and Antioxidant ActivitiesNutritional Studies and DietEdible Oils Quality and Analysis

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Polyphenols Contained in Mediterranean Diet in Obesity: Molecular Mechanisms

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Nani, Abdelhafid, Murtaza, Babar, Sayed Khan, Amira, Khan, Naim Akhtar, Hichami, Aziz·2021·Molecules

Abstract

Nutrition transition can be defined as shifts in food habits, and it is characterized by high-fat (chiefly saturated animal fat), hypercaloric and salty food consumption at the expense of dietary fibers, minerals and vitamins. Western dietary patterns serve as a model for studying the impact of nutrition transition on civilization diseases, such as obesity, which is commonly associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. In fact, reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction can be associated with nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-mediated inflammation in obesity. NF-κB regulates gene expression of several oxidant-responsive adipokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Moreover, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which plays a pivotal role in energy homeostasis and in modulation of metabolic inflammation, can be downregulated by IκB kinase (IKK)-dependent TNF-α activation. On the other hand, adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet is highly encouraged because of its healthy dietary pattern, which includes antioxidant nutraceuticals such as polyphenols. Indeed, hydroxycinnamic derivatives, quercetin, resveratrol, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, which are well known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, exert anti-obesity proprieties. In this review, we highlight the impact of the most common polyphenols from Mediterranean foods on molecular mechanisms that mediate obesity-related oxidative stress and inflammation. Hence, we discuss the effects of these polyphenols on a number of signaling pathways. We note that Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) dietary polyphenols can de-regulate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX) and NF-κB-mediated oxidative stress, and metabolic inflammation. MedDiet polyphenols are also effective in upregulating downstream effectors of several proteins, chiefly AMPK.

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  • Systemic oxidative stress is a hallmark of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

    “Systemic oxidative stress is a hallmark of obesity and metabolic syndrome.”
  • Obesity is generally considered a low-grade inflammation state affecting the whole body.

    “Therefore, obesity is generally considered as a low-grade inflammation state affecting the whole body [4].”
  • Activation of the NF-κB pathway results in increased expression of proinflammatory mediators such as TNFα, interleukin 6, and leptin while decreasing secretion of the protective adipokine adiponectin.

    “Through the activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, it results in an increased expression of the proinflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL6), leptin while decreasing the secretion of the protective adipokine, adiponectin [4,16].”
  • Increased intake of high energy food rich in animal-saturated fat leads to oxidative stress at the cellular level and inflammation by increasing the expression of NADPH oxidase in adipocytes.

    “An increased intake of high energy food rich in animal-saturated fat leads to oxidative stress at the cellular level and inflammation by increasing the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleuotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX) in adipocytes.”
  • Chronic inflammation contributes to increased rates of obesity and its complications, such as metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, dyslipidemia, and diabetes, all conferring increased cardiovascular risk.

    “Therefore, this chronic inflammation state contributes both to the increased rates of obesity and its complications, such as metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, dyslipidemia, diabetes, all conferring an increased cardiovascular risk [4,14,15]”

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Authors
Nani, A., Murtaza, B., Sayed Khan, A., Khan, N. A., & Hichami, A.
Affiliations
  • Inserm (FR)
  • Physiologie de la Nutrition & Toxicologie, U1231 INSERM/Université de Bourgogne-Franche Comté (UBFC)/Agro-Sup, 21000 Dijon, France
Corresponding author
  • Nani, Abdelhafid
  • Hichami, Aziz
Venue
Molecules
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2021-02-12
Volume
26
Issue
4
Pages
985
ISSN
1420-3049 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3131532488
Cited by
321
References
150
Citations by year
2026: 70 · 2025: 63 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 69 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 15
FWCI
4.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Molecules (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-11-LABX-0021)
  • Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
  • Université de Bourgogne
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Edible Oils Quality and Analysis
Keywords
Mediterranean diet, dietary polyphenols, obesity, oxidative stress, metabolic inflammation, NF-κB signaling, AMPK, TNF-α, IκB kinase, NADPH oxidase, quercetin, resveratrol, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, nutraceuticals, nutrition transition, signaling pathways
MeSH terms
Resveratrol, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Antioxidants, Dietary Fiber, Humans, Obesity, NF-kappa B, Diet, Mediterranean, Polyphenols

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