Indicaxanthin dietetics: Past, present, and future

The betalamic acid derivatives of betalain pigments (purple-red betacyanins and yellow betaxanthins) are dietary compounds occurring in a few plant foods including beets (Beta vulgaris) and cactus pears (Opuntia spp.). Belonging to betaxanthins, indicaxanthin is rich in yellow cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica L., Mill). High dietary bioavailability of indicaxanthin in humans, as well as its physicochemical properties, radical-scavenging and antioxidant activities in various experimental models suggest this molecule as a promising nutraceutical agent and open perspectives for its applications. Life-long modulatory activity at the epigenetic level now appears as the new frontier to shed light on the beneficial effects from a chronic exposure at dietary concentrations of redox-active phytochemicals. Data obtained from studies on human intestinal carcinoma cell cultures show that indicaxanthin has the potential to affect global DNA methylation, revert onco-suppressor gene silencing, and induce arrest of cell growth. Elucidation of cell pathways and molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic activities in various cells and conditions is needed to understand these benefits and limitations of dietary indicaxanthin.