ReviewFrontiers in microbiology2026
(-)-Epicatechin and inflammation: Unraveling the role of microbial metabolites and interindividual metabolic variability.
Review in Frontiers in microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- The Role of Flavonoids in Alleviating Mammary Gland Inflammation: A Review.Veterinary sciences · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
(-)-Epicatechin (EC), a dietary flavan-3-ol abundant in tea, cocoa, and certain fruits, has demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory activity. This review summarizes the chemical structure, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) characteristics, and molecular mechanisms through which EC modulates inflammation. EC acts both directly-via suppression of factor-kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathways-and indirectly through activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-driven antioxidant responses that mitigate inflammatory damage. Importantly, we highlight recent evidence on colonic microbial metabolites of EC, which exhibit diverse and sometimes enhanced bioactivities compared to the parent compound. These low-molecular-weight phenolics participate in immune regulation, redox balance, and intestinal barrier protection, and thereby contribute substantially to the overall anti-inflammatory effects of EC. A core innovation of this review is to highlight that interindividual variability in EC metabolism, largely governed by gut microbiota composition and host enzymatic capacity, generates distinct metabolite profiles. These metabotype-dependent differences provide a mechanistic basis for interindividual variability in the anti-inflammatory efficacy of EC and should be carefully considered when interpreting experimental and clinical findings on EC. Finally, we discuss strategies to enhance EC's bioavailability, including delivery system optimization and structural modification. This review offers mechanistic and translational insights into EC's anti-inflammatory potential and highlights the need to integrate microbial metabolism and host factors into future dietary interventions.
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Registered trials
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