Review on the Structural Features and Biological Activities of Reuterin

Reuterin, one of the low-molecular organic compounds, contains an aldehyde and alcohol group with three carbons. It also possesses a certain degree of complexity in chemical structure because of the presence of aldehyde group. In an aqueous solution of reuterin, monomeric, hydrate, and dimeric forms coexist in equilibrium. Reuterin has diverse biological activities, including antibacterial, anticancer, antiinflammatory, and antifungal activities. Specifically, it displays stronger antibacterial activities and lower toxicities than the existing antimicrobial agents such as glutaraldehyde. Due to the beneficial biological attributes, reuterin can be a potential candidate for novel functional compounds in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Preparation methods for reuterin include biochemical conversion and chemical synthesis. Biochemical conversion approach employs bioconversion using glycerol and Lactobacillus reuteri and chemical synthesis utilizes acrolein or 1,2,4-butanetriol as a starting material. However, despite its exceptional biological activities, the mechanism of action is obscure. Collectively, reuterin has substantial potential as a functional compound in food and pharmaceutical domain.