Polyphenols and Their Formulations: Different Strategies to Overcome the Drawbacks Associated with Their Poor Stability and Bioavailability

Natural polyphenols represent a class of compounds that has attracted the interest of many researchers and the general public due to the potential health benefits to humans. Polyphenolic molecules are, indeed, characterized by remarkable biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobic, cardioprotective and anticancer, and are able to modulate the activity of enzymes involved in the development of pathological conditions. These abilities suggest their employment in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields, but also for anti-aging purposes in cosmetic formulations. Despite these advantages, polyphenols are very sensitive to heat and light and present low water solubility, high rate of metabolism and rapid elimination from the body. All these factors contribute to poor stability and bioavailability that drastically reduce their effectiveness. In the present chapter, we will explore the different strategies employed to prepare polyphenols-based formulations in the aim to overcome the drawbacks associated with their poor stability and bioavailability.