Cancer and Neurodegeneration

Anthocyanins (ACNs) are flavonoid derivatives widely distributed in plant materials. To date, more than 600 ACNs have been characterized; these are derived from six common aglycones and are differently glycosylated and acylated. ACNs have gained increasing attention mainly for their antioxidant properties, preventing the formation of free radicals with important health implications in many diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders, and metabolic syndromes (diabetes and obesity). It is well known that glycosylated and acylated forms are highly stable and resistant to gastrointestinal digestion, but it is not so clear if acylation improves the ACNs’ health benefits in comparison to those of the aglycone form or glycosylated derivatives. In fact, the works present in the literature often report that the ACNs extract bioactivity without characterizing their content and/or better specifying if ACNs are aglycones or glycosides and/or acylated forms. In this chapter, attention will be focused particularly on acylated ACNs (AACNs) and their antiproliferative and neuroprotective activities, discussing how the acylation process affects these biological properties. AACNs’ potential mechanisms involved in specific cancer development or neurological diseases will be critically discussed.