Cocoa polyphenols in oxidative stress: Potential health implications

- Cocoa and its flavanols have a strong antioxidant activity.
- Modulation of redox status by cocoa flavanols could prevent chronic diseases.
- Preventive effects of cocoa against chronic diseases involve different mechanisms.
- Preventive effects of cocoa are connected to an antioxidant-related response.
- Mechanistic studies and clinical trials with cocoa and its flavanols are needed.

Oxidative stress has been related to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. Therefore, prevention of these pathologies by avoiding the damaging effects of free radicals and oxidants has become an important potential chemopreventive and therapeutic approach. In this line, epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that dietary antioxidants seem to play a main role in the prevention of chronic diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Indeed, cocoa and its flavanols can interfere in the initiation and progression of the mentioned diseases through different mechanisms. This review summarises recent progress on the health benefits of cocoa and its flavanols associated to the antioxidant effects, and discusses their potential molecular mechanism of action in the prevention and/or treatment of relevant chronic diseases.