Koldaev V.M.
Международный журнал прикладных и фундаментальных исследований 2024; (5): 46-50
Betalains are natural pigments of red beets, prickly pears and other plants of the order Caryophyllales; they have high antioxidant activity, inactivate reactive oxygen species, free radicals and eliminate the effects of oxidative stress; they have recently been used in medicine. The purpose of the work is to review and analyze publications on the therapeutic and preventive capabilities of little-studied antioxidants betalains in threatening pathological conditions. To achieve the goal, 158 sources over the past 10 years were reviewed in the bibliographic databases Scopus, Medline, Google Scholar, 35 of the most valid publications were selected for analysis. The analysis shows that betalains and red beet herbal remedies are effective in correcting metabolic disorders of type 2 diabetes mellitus and reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases. A diet enriched with betalains has a wide range of anticancer effects. Betalains protect dopaminergic neurons of the brain from oxidative damage and reduce the severity of neurodegenerative disorders in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Unlike other known antioxidants, anthocyanins and carotenoids, betalains are widely distributed, have low toxicity, have high bioavailability due to their good solubility in water and have a relatively low cost. In addition, betalains are essentially the only dietary suppliers of nitric oxide, the most important component in the regulation of metabolic processes. Betalains are promising agents for the treatment of disorders associated with oxidative stress, and it is advisable to include them in the food industry and related industries, which can reduce the risks of threatening diseases. At the same time, betalains are not very stable and are subject to degradation during processing and storage of plant materials. The dynamics of betalains in the human body have not been fully studied. In the future, it is necessary to develop gentle technologies for betalain-containing herbal remedies and determine their pharmacodynamic parameters. The work was carried out within the framework of the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (topic No. 124012200183-8).
