The Physical Chemistry of Polyphenols: Insights into the Activity of Polyphenols in Humans at the Molecular Level

This chapter reviews the following versatile physicochemical properties of polyphenols in relation with their potential activity in humans: Interactions with proteins and lipid-water interfaces. These interactions must be qualified with respect to the current knowledge on polyphenol bioavailability and metabolism. They are expected to mediate most of the cell signaling activity of polyphenols. A general reducing capacity that may be expressed in the gastrointestinal tract submitted to postprandial oxidative stress and also in cells, for example, by direct scavenging of reactive oxygen species, especially if preliminary deconjugation of metabolites takes place The complex relationships with transition metal ions involving binding and/or electron transfer in close connection with the antioxidant versus pro-oxidant activity of polyphenols.