Molecular Medicine

Anthocyanins, as a group of flavonoids, are most abun-dant in various colorful fruits, vegetables, red wine, and grains.1 Epidemiological and animal investigations have shown that anthocyanins reduce the severity or risk of athero-sclerosis.2–5 Many in vitro studies have revealed that antho-cyanins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as capability in promoting cholesterol efflux from macro-phages.1,6,7 However, the effective levels were determined at a range between 10 to 200 μmol/L. In vivo intervention in human subjects and most animal test systems have shown that only approximately 0.1 % of the intact anthocyanins are typically absorbed, and the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of anthocyanins is usually less than 0.1 μmol/L.8–10 Recent stud-ies have suggested that after the ingestion, anthocyanins are rapidly biotransformed into various metabolites,11,12 raising the possibility that those metabolites, either working on their own or in combination with the parent anthocyanins, in pro-tecting the subjects from developing atherosclerosis. In This Issue, see p 947 Editorial, see p 94