**5. Conclusions**

Pigmented corns and its parts is a food that can be beneficial to the human because of the presence of phytochemicals and biological activities that are present. The studies of pigmented corns have been increased year after year, and they showed that the coloration blue, purple, pink and red is given by anthocyanins. Also, they have a large amount of phenolic acids and flavonoids. These compounds are present in the whole plant (kernel, cob, husk, silk), and their concentration is different depending on the organ.

The most abundant anthocyanins in corn plant are cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3- (6″-malonyl) glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3- (6″-malonyl) glucoside, pelargonidin-3 glucoside and pelargonidin-3-(6"malonyl) glucoside and the coloration of each corn is depending on the concentration and profile of these.

With reference to phenolic acids, the representatives are ferulic acid in the kernel, syringic acid in the cob and chlorogenic acid in the silk. Finally, the flavonoids are morin, kaempferol, naringin, maysin, rutin, quercetin and hyperoside; the concentrations of these compounds are high especially in purple silk. Each of these compounds has a biological activity, so in the case of anthocyanins is its anti-cancer activity, cardioprotective and anti-obesity activity; according to phenolic acids, the ferulic acid is a potential antioxidant and provides anticancer properties, and in general, flavonoids have antioxidant activity.

Therefore, pigmented corns are important for the development of new functional food products from the grain and for obtaining natural colorants and antioxidants from the other parts of the plant.
