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Over the past decade, researchers and food manufacturers have significantly focused attention on polyphenols. The key reason for this interest is the recognition of the antioxidant properties of these substances, their great abundance in our diet and the probable role in preventing diseases associated with oxidative stress. The great class of polyphenols consists the phenylpropanoids glucosides, distributed in many medicinal plants, which are responsible for cytostatic, cardiac and hepatic effects. One of the major representatives of the phenylpropanoids glucosides is verbascoside, retrieved from different plants belonging to the Verbenaceae family and featured a rhamnose units linked to glucose, which serves as a bridge. The literature on the biological activity of verbascoside is very wide: it possesses an anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, cardiotonic, epato-protective effect, photoprotective, analgesic and neuroprotective activity.

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Francesco Vizzarri, PhD: Doctoral degree in Welfare, Biotechnology and Quality of Animal Production at University of Molise, Italy. Member of several Italian Ministry Research Project and International Collaboration in Slovakia. Current: Researcher in animal welfare and quality of animal production at University of Milano, Italy.

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