Monoterpenes: current knowledge on food source, metabolism, and health effects

Author(s)

Rinaldi de Alvarenga, Jose Fernando ^{[1, 2]} ; Genaro, Brunna ^[1] ; Costa, Bruna Lamesa ^[1] ; Purgatto, Eduardo ^{[1, 2]} ; Manach, Claudine ^[3] ; Fiamoncini, Jarlei ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Food & Expt Nutr, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Food Res Ctr FoRC, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Clermont Auvergne, UNH, INRAE, Clermont Ferrand - France

• Document type: Review article
• Source: CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION; AUG 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Monoterpenes, volatile metabolites produced by plants, are involved in the taste and aroma perception of fruits and vegetables and have been used for centuries in gastronomy, as food preservatives and for therapeutic purposes. Biological activities such as antimicrobial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory are well-established for some of these molecules. More recently, the ability of monoterpenes to regulate energy metabolism, and exert antidiabetic, anti-obesity and gut microbiota modulation activities have been described. Despite their promising health effects, the lack of reliable quantification of monoterpenes in food, hindered the investigation of their role as dietary bioactive compounds in epidemiological studies. Moreover, only few studies have documented the biotransformation of these compounds and identified the monoterpene metabolites with biological activity. This review presents up-to-date knowledge about the occurrence of monoterpenes in food, their bioavailability and potential role in the modulation of intermediate metabolism and inflammation, focusing on novel findings of molecular mechanisms, underlining research gaps and new avenues to be explored. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/11324-8 - Evaluation of D-limonene effects on intermediate metabolism of mice: relationship between limonene metabolism and health effects
• Grantee: José Fernando Rinaldi de Alvarenga
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 19/24267-2 - Evaluation the effects of d-limonene on metabolism markers of lipemia glycemia of mice C57/BL6
• Grantee: Bruna Lamesa Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 18/19189-0 - Evaluation of d-limonene effects on intestinal microbiota composition and bile acid metabolism
• Grantee: Jarlei Fiamoncini
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/07914-8 - FoRC - Food Research Center
• Grantee: Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC