Tannins as Natural Helpers in Reinforcement of Human Health. A review

Since ancient times, folk medicine has used the potency of a wide range of plants for treatment of various diseases. In recent years, the development of technology has made it possible to identify the active ingredients determining these properties of plants. One of the largest group of substances isolated from plants are polyphenols. Tannins are a type of polyphenols that have already proven to possess different biological activities important to human health, such as antioxidant, antitumoral, antimicrobial, antiviral, etc. As an integral part of many food products, tannins are included in the daily diet of many people suffering from various diseases. Tannins can naturally enhance the body's ability to cope with various infections and diseases, improving the immune response and also having a positive effect on patients with heart disease and high blood pressure, which makes them promising therapeutic agents. All of the activities described above allow tannins to be considered as promising therapeutic agents.