Anti-inflammatory compounds flavonoids

Flavonoids have anticarcinogenic and anti-tumor activity, protect against cardiovascular disease, and act as anti-inflammatory compounds (Hollman and Katan, 1998 Middleton, 1998 Waladkhani and Clemens, 1998 Agarwal, 2000). Hirano et al. (1994) evaluated the cytostatic activity of flavonoids on human breast carcinoma cells and found them to be effective in preventing cell growth, but failed to find a structure-activity relationship among the 21... 

These structurally diverse compounds exhibit a range of biological activities in vitro that may explain their potential health-promoting properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and the induction of apoptosis (Hooper and others 2008). Most of the recent interest in flavonoids as health-promoting compounds is related to their powerful antioxidant properties. The criteria to establish the antioxidant capacity of these compounds is based on several structural characteristics that include (a) the presence of o-dihydroxyl substituents in the B-ring (b) a double bond between positions 2 and 3 and (c) hydroxyl groups in positions 3 and 5. 

Red wine contains quercetin, rutin, catechin, and epicatechin, among other flavonoids (Frankel and others 1993). Quercetin and other phenolic compounds isolated from wines were found to be more effective than a-tocopherol in inhibiting copper-catalyzed LDL oxidation. It has been determined that quercetin has also several anti-inflammatory effects it inhibits inflammatory cytokine production (Boots and others 2008), inducible NO synthase expression and activation of inflammatory transcription factors (Hamalainen and others 2007), and activity of cyclooxygenase and lipooxygenase (Issa 2006), among others. 

About 120 chemical constituents have been identified in chamomile as secondary metabolites, including 28 terpenoids, 36 flavonoids and 52 additional compounds [4]. A substantial part of drag effects are determined by the essential oil content. Oil is collected from flower heads, either by steam distillation or solvent extraction, for yields of 0.24-1.90% of fresh or dry plant tissue. Among the essential oil constituents the most active are /-/-a-bisabolol and chamazulene. /-/-a-bisabolol has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, antiulcer, sedative and CNS activity. Chamazulene is also anti-inflammatory. Topical applications of chamomile preparation have shown benefit in the treatment of eczema, dermatitis and ulceration [5]. 

Most flavonoids are potent antioxidant compounds. Several flavonoids possess anti-inflammatory, antihepatotoxic, antimmour, antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Many traditional medicines and medicinal plants contain flavonoids... 

Kris-Etherton PM, Lefevre M, Beecher GR, Gross MD, Keen CL, Etherton TD. 2004. Bioactive compounds in nutrition and health-research methodologies for establishing biological function The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids on atherosclerosis. Ann Rev Nutr 24 511-538. 

The gasiroinie.slinal (Gl) aniispasmodic properties of bisaboloi and its oxides are well known. In fact, bisaboloi is said to be as potent as papaverine in tests of muscle spasticity. Besides bisaboloi. the flavone and coumarin components have -antispasmodic activities. The blue compound chamazulene posse.sses both anti-inflammatory and antiallcigenic ac-tivitic.s. as do the water-soluble components (the flavonoids). Apigenin and lutcolin possess anti-inflammatory potencies similar to that of indtimethacin. These flavonoids possess acidic phenolic groups, a. spacer, and an aromatic moiety that could fit into the COX receptor. None of the.se effects has been unequivocally documented in humans. The essential oil posse.s.ses low water. solubility, but teas used over a long period of time provide a cumulative medicinal effect. Typically. I teaspoon (3 g) of flower head is boiled in hot water for IS minutes. 4 times a day. 

Citrus aurantium L. -laranja Nervous disturbanees Leaf (Infusion) Afro-Brazilians (Northeast Brazil) [45,46] Alkaloids [195,196] adrenergic amines [197,198] flavonoids [199,200] Coumarins, fatty acids [201,202] polyphenolic compounds [203] essential oils [204,205] Suppressive effect [267] ischemic stroke [268] cardiovascular changes [269] weight loss [267] induction of apoptosis [270] anxiolytic and sedative effects [271] adrenergic agonists [272], antiobesity [273,274] anti-inflammatory activity [275]... 

Saccharum officinarum L. -cana-de-afucar Insomnia Culm (suco) Caboclos [56] Flavonoids [344,345] long-chain aliphatic acids [347] fatty acids [346,348] phenolic compounds [349] glycans [350] triterpenoids and steroids [351] Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects [348] antidiabetes [350]... 

The anti-inflammatory and wonnd healing activities of the plant have been linked to the flavonoid compounds eriodictyol 7,4 -dimethyl ether, quercetin... 

The balance between the anabolism and catabolism of HA is maintained by the inhibitors of hyaluronidases. Heparin is a known and well-characterized inhibitor of hyaluronidase [132]. Chitosan inhibits HA degradation by venom and bovine testicular hyaluronidases [133]. Cis-unsaturated fatty acids can also inhibit the hyaluronidase activity [134]. Certain anti-inflammatory drugs including saly-cylates, indomethacin and dexamethasone are also known to exert anti-hyaluronidase activity [133, 135]. Ascorbic acid [136], as well as plant derived bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, pectins, curcumins, cou-marins, gylcyrrhizin are used to block hyaluronidase activity [100]. 

This evergreen conifer is native to the northern temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America and is also cultivated. In Western folk medicine, among other uses, the berries were considered active against certain types of cancer. The berries contain flavonoids, tannins, a bitter compound called juniperin, and a volatile oil of myriad constituents. In addition to the berries being anti-inflammatory, there is antiviral activity. 

Phenolics and their functional derivatives are widely found throughout the plant kingdom. One defining characteristic of these compounds is that their aromatic ring usually contains at least one hydroxyl substituent. In a broad sense, phenolics, which are classified according to their structural skeleton, are basically derivatives from simple phenols and phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids including coumarins and lignans, flavonoids and related compounds, and stilbenes. Some of these compounds which show anti-inflammatory activity are reviewed in this section. 

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