The potential use of polyphenols in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases has been extensively investigated although the mechanisms involved in cellular signaling need to be further elucidated. Cyanidin-3-glucoside is a typical anthocyanin of many pigmented fruits and vegetables widespread in the human diet. In the present study, the protection afforded by cyanidin-3-glucoside against cytokine-triggered inflammatory response was evaluated in the human intestinal HT-29 cell line, in comparison with 5-aminosalicylic acid, a well-established anti-inflammatory drug, used in inflammatory bowel disease. For this purpose, some key inflammatory mediators and inflammatory enzymes were examined. Our data showed that cyanidin-3-glucoside reduced cytokine-induced inflammation in intestinal cells, in terms of NO, PGE₂ and IL-8 production and of iNOS and COX-2 expressions, at a much lower concentration than 5-aminosalicylic acid, suggesting a higher anti-inflammatory efficiency. Interestingly, cyanidin-3-glucoside and 5-aminosalicylic acid neither prevented IkB-α degradation nor the activation of NF-kB, but significantly reduced cytokine-induced levels of activated STAT1 accumulated in the cell nucleus. In addition, we established that phosphorylated p38 MAPK was not involved in the protective effect of cyanidin-3-glucoside or 5-aminosalicylic acid. Taking into account the high concentrations of dietary anthocyanins potentially reached in the gastrointestinal tract, cyanidin-3-glucoside may be envisaged as a promising nutraceutical giving complementary benefits in the context of inflammatory bowel disease.

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring polyphenols commonly found in fruits and vegetables. Numerous studies have described that anthocyanin-rich foods may play a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of different pathological conditions, which have encouraged their consumption around the world. Anthocyanins exhibit a significant neuroprotective role, mainly due to their well-recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Neuroinflammation is an intricate process relevant in both homeostatic and pathological circumstances. Since the progression of several neurological disorders relies on neuroinflammatory process, targeting brain inflammation has been considered a promising strategy in those conditions. Recent data have shown the anti-neuroinflammatory abilities of many anthocyanins and of their metabolites in the onset and development of several neurological disorders. In this review, it will be discussed the importance and the applicability of these polyphenolic compounds as neuroprotective agents and it will be also scrutinized the molecular mechanisms underlying the modulation of neuroinflammation by these natural compounds in the context of several brain diseases.