Betalains: Multifunctional Medicinal Bio-pigments

Betalains are vacuolar N-heterocyclic highly bioactive pigments found in plants of about 17 families in the order Caryophyllales. It has been reported that betalain preparations from different plant parts are safe for consumption and several in vitro and in vivo studies have disclosed a wide range of pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antiinflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-diabetic and hepatoprotective properties for betalains. It seems that betalains can be potent safe medicinal bio-pigments due to having several pharmacological activities as well as biosafety. However, further studies are still needed to determine the long-term safety of betalains administration particularly in clinical trials and explore the precise mechanisms of action.