Bioflavonoids

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:    Frankp@chiro.org

If there are terms in these articles you don't understand, you can get a definition from the Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary.   If you want information about a specific disease, you can access the Merck Manual.   You can also search Pub Med for more abstracts on this topic.

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Bioflavonoid Articles

   What are Bioflavonoids?
           A nice review by students from the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy


   Proanthocyanidin Power
           Pine bark and grape seed contain the flavonoids OPCs, which offer antioxidant protection against heart disease and cancer In the future, health care providers may hand out proanthocyanidin pills as readily as they recommend aspirin today. A steady stream of animal and in vitro studies supplemented by epidemiological evidence and a smattering of preliminary human studies reveal numerous health benefits associated with these compounds. Chief among the benefits is antioxidant protection against heart disease and cancer.


   Anthocyanins
           Eaten in large amounts by primitive humans, anthocyanins are antioxidant flavonoids that protect many body systems. They have some of the strongest physiological effects of any plant compounds, and they are also things of beauty: anthocyanins provide pigment for pansies, petunias, and plums. (Anthocyanins are a separate class of flavonoids from proanthocyanidins, discussed in NSN 2000; 5 (6): 231–234)


   Ease Gout Pain
           A swollen big toe and a hobbled gait—finally, excruciating pain sends your customer to fill a prescription for allopurinol, the standard drug for treating gout. Are there natural remedies you can recommend to ease his suffering in addition to or instead of the pharmaceutical? YES! The enzyme xanthine oxidase catalyzes the last step in the conversion of purines to uric acid. Allopurinol, the medication prescribed for gout prevention, is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor. In vitro, xanthine oxidase is inhibited by the flavonoids luteolin and apigenin nearly as well as it is by allopurinol. [5] The flavonoids chrysin, baicalein, isorhamnetin, and several caffeic acid esters are also effective. [6]


   Quercetin Is Promising for Chronic Prostatitis
           Quercetin, a naturally occurring bioflavonoid found in apples, black tea, and onions, was tested as a treatment for chronic prostatitis in a nonblinded study by researchers at the Institute for Male Urology in Encino, Calif. In the trial, an encouraging 59 percent of the subjects improved.1 In light of these results, Daniel Shoskes, M.D., and Jacob Rajfer, M.D., from the Division of Urology, Harbor­UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, decided to do a proper double-blind test of quercetin vs. placebo.

Bioflavonoid Abstracts

   Effects of Daily Oral Administration of Quercetin Chalcone and Modified Citrus Pectin on Implanted Colon-25 Tumor Growth in Balb-c Mice
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Dec);   5 (6):   546–552 ~ FULL TEXT
Previous research has confirmed that quercetin exhibits antitumor properties, likely due to immune stimulation, free radical scavenging, alteration of the mitotic cycle in tumor cells, gene expression modification, anti-angiogenesis activity, or apoptosis induction, or a combination of these effects. MCP has inhibited metastases in animal studies of prostate cancer and melanoma. To date, no study has demonstrated a reduction in solid tumor growth with MCP, and there is no research into the antitumor effect of QC. This study examines the effects of MCP and QC on the size and weight of colon-25 tumors implanted in balb-c mice.


   Flavonoids Apigenin and Quercetin Inhibit Melanoma Growth and Metastatic Potential
Int J Cancer 2000 (Aug);   87 (4):   595–600
In conclusion, quercetin and apigenin inhibit melanoma growth and invasive and metastatic potential; therefore, they may constitute a valuable tool in the combination therapy of metastatic melanoma.


   Antioxidants and Cancer III: Quercetin
           Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Jun);   5 (3):   196–208 ~ FULL TEXT
           Quercetin is a flavonoid molecule ubiquitous in nature. A number of its actions make it a potential anti-cancer agent, including cell cycle regulation, interaction with type II estrogen binding sites, and tyrosine kinase inhibition. Quercetin appears to be associated with little toxicity when administered orally or intravenously. Much in vitro and some preliminary animal and human data indicate quercetin inhibits tumor growth. More research is needed to elucidate the absorption of oral doses and the magnitude of the anti-cancer effect.


   Oligomeric Proanthocyanidin Complexes: History, Structure, and Phytopharmaceutical Applications
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Apr);   5 (2):   144–151 ~ FULL TEXT
Considerable recent research has explored therapeutic applications of oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs), naturally occurring plant metabolites widely available in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, flowers, and bark. OPCs are primarily known for their antioxidant activity. However, these compounds have also been reported to demonstrate antibacterial, antiviral, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and vasodilatory actions. In addition, they have been found to inhibit lipid peroxidation, platelet aggregation, capillary permeability and fragility, and to affect enzyme systems including phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenase, and lipoxygenase.


   Flavonoids Inhibit Cell Growth and Induce Apoptosis in B16 Melanoma 4A5 Cells
Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2000 (Sep);   64(9):   1813–20
We investigated the growth inhibitory activity of several flavonoids, including apigenin, luteolin, kaempherol, quercetin, butein, isoliquiritigenin, naringenin, genistein, and daizein against B16 mouse melanoma 4A5 cells.


   Quercetin: A Review of Clinical Applications
           Natural Medicine Online July 2000
           Quercetin is frequently used therapeutically in allergic conditions, including asthma and hayfever, eczema, and hives. Additional clinical uses include treatment of gout, pancreatitis and prostatitis, which are also, in part, inflammatory conditions. The common link is its ability to mediate production and manufacture of pro-inflammatory compounds.



   Monograph:   Quercetin
           Alternative Medicine Review 1998 (Apr);   3 (2):   140–143   ~ FULL TEXT
           Quercetin appears to have many beneficial effects on human health, including cardiovascular protection, anti-cancer activity, anti-ulcer effects, anti-allergy activity, cataract prevention, antiviral activity, and anti-inflammatory effects.


   Antioxidant Flavonoids: Structure, Function and Clinical Usage
           Alternative Medicine Review 1996 (Jul);   1 (2):   103–111 ~ FULL TEXT
           Flavonoids have been shown to have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antimutagenic, antiviral, antineoplastic, anti-thrombotic, and vasodilatory activity.


Thanks to   Pub Med
for their quality MEDLINE search tool.

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