Blood-brain barrier transport and neuroprotective potential of blackberry-digested polyphenols: an in vitro study

Purpose: Epidemiological and intervention studies have attempted to link the health effects of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with the consumption of polyphenols and their impact in neurodegenerative diseases. Studies have shown that polyphenols can cross the intestinal barrier and reach concentrations in the bloodstream able to exert effects in vivo. However, the effective uptake of polyphenols in the brain is still regarded with some reservations. Here we describe a combination of approaches to examine the putative transport of blackberry-digested polyphenols (BDP) across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and ultimate evaluation of their beneficial effects.

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Figueira I, Tavares L, Jardim C, Costa I, Terrasso AP, Almeida AF, Govers C, Mes JJ, Gardner R, Becker JD, McDougall GJ, Stewart D, Filipe A, Kim KS, Brites D, Brito C, Brito MA, Santos CN