Abstract

From the antiquity, the ellagitannins have formed an important part of human diet. With a great relevancy in the field of science and technology, several studies have reported the important benefits of ellagitannins to human and animal health. However, the knowledge and application of these compounds is seriously limited due to their complexity and diversity. One of the unknown facts of ellagitannins is their biodegradation, but it is well known through this process that it is possible to get the monomeric unit, the ellagic acid, which is a product from the hydrolysis of ellagitannins and represents a high added value compound due to its biological properties. The general outline of this work includes information on ellagitannins, their classification and properties, biosynthesis, biodegradation, ellagic acid production and potential applications. Special attention has been focused on the biological properties of ellagitannins.

Key words: Ellagitannins, biosynthesis, biodegradation, ellagic acid, biological properties.