Citrus, fruits, flavonoid compounds

Since the very beginning, citrus flavonoids have awakened the interest of chemists. Thus, hesperidin was reported for the first time by Lebreton in 1928 [10], Nowadays it is widely accepted that hesperidin, neohesperidin, and eriocitrin are the major flavonoids in citrus fruits. Other flavanones that may be found, although in lower percentages, are isonaringin and isosakuranetin. Likewise, other compounds that occur as... 

Hesperetin (4 -methoxy-3, 5,7-trihydroxyflavanone), which is a bioactive plant flavonoid belonging to the ehemieal elass flavanone (abundantly present in citrus fruits), is rapidly emerging as an espeeially attractive therapeutie agent with an enormous speetrum of activities. This flavonoid eorresponds to the aglycone form of hesperidin. Although hesperetin can be eonsidered much more biologieally active, firstly hesperidin is obtained, which is the natural form of these compounds. 

Bitterness is a major problem to the citrus industry. It is of economic importance because bitter juices have a lower market value. Bitterness is mainly caused by the accumulation of two different chemical compounds limonin from the limonoid terpine group and naringin from the flavonoid phenolic group in the fruit tissues. The highest concentrations of the bitter compounds are generally found in immature fruits. As the fruits mature, the concentrations of the bitter compounds decrease. 

---