The antioxidant activity of anthocyanins in food is well known. Numerous antioxidant assays have been proposed to measure the capacity of anthocyanins to prevent the oxidation process that naturally occurs. Different solvents, temperatures, and pH levels are applied in each assay, and these factors should be taken into account in order to obtain useful and reproducible results. The concentration and the structure of these compounds are directly related to their antioxidant capacity and their environment. However, the effectiveness of the anthocyanin ingestion against diseases is also influenced by its bioavailability. Novel methodologies that simulate the digestion process have been developed in order to facilitate the current knowledge of anthocyanins bioavailability. Studies highlight the potential synergy effect between parent compounds and their derivatives (metabolites, conjugated products, and microbe-generated metabolites). The aim of this review is to provide an overview of advantages and disadvantages of the most common methods to determine the antioxidant activity of anthocyanins, chemical structure, and concentration of these compounds in different edible fruits, vegetables, and plants; their bioavailability after intake; as well as the main therapeutic effect described in the scientific literature.

There is increasing evidence that the presence of certain pharmaceuticals in the environment leads to biota exposure and constitute a potential risk for ecosystems. Bioaccumulation is an essential focus of risk assessment to evaluate at what degree emerging contaminants are a hazard both to the environment and the individuals that inhabit it. The main goals of the present review are 1) to summarize and describe the research and factors that should be taken into account in the evaluation of bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals in aquatic organisms; and 2) to provide a database and a critical review of the bioaccumulation/bioconcentration factors (BAF or BCF) of these compounds in organisms of different trophic levels. Most studies fall into one of two categories: laboratory-scale absorption and purification tests or field studies and, to a lesser extent, large-scale, semi-natural system tests. Although in the last 5 years there has been considerable progress in this field, especially in species of fish and molluscs, research is still limited on other aquatic species like crustaceans or algae. This revision includes >230 bioconcentration factors (BCF) and >530 bioaccumulation factors (BAF), determined for 113 pharmaceuticals. The most commonly studied is the antidepressant group, followed by diclofenac and carbamazepine. There is currently no reported accumulation data on certain compounds, such as anti-cancer drugs. BCFs are highly influenced by experimental factors (notably the exposure level, time or temperature). Field BAFs are superior to laboratory BCFs, highlighting the importance of field studies for reliable assessments and in true environmental conditions. BAF data appears to be organ, species and compound-specific. The potential impact on food web transfer is also considered. Among different aquatic species, lower trophic levels and benthic organisms exhibit relatively higher uptake of these compounds.