Enterolactone antioxidant activity

The presence of the oxidized metabolites is unique and may provide additional reasons for the health benefits of lignans. Classical antioxidant mechanisms show that the addition of an ortho hydroxyl group to a monophenol enhances the antioxidant activity of the original monophenol. Thus, some of the mammalian lignan metabolites may actually have greater or different activity than the parent lignan. Kitts et al (1999) reported that enterolactone and enterodiol had greater antioxidant activity than the parent... 

Prasad, K. 2000b. Antioxidant activity of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside-derived metabolites, secoi-solariciresinol, enterodiol, and enterolactone. Inti. J. Angiol. 9, 220-225. 

Kitts, D.D., Yuan, Y.V., Wijewickreme, A.N., and Thompson, L.U. 1999. Antioxidant activity of the flaxseed lignan secoisolariciresinol diglycoside and its mammalian lignan metabolites enterodiol and enterolactone. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 202, 91-100. 

SDG directly lowers serum cholesterol. Because lignans modulate the enzymes 7-hydroxylase and acyl CoA cholesterol transferase, they may be able to decrease serum cholesterol, as both of these enzymes are involved in cholesterol metabolism. Lignans may also lower oxidative stress. Enterodiol, enterolactone, and SDG act as antioxidants by inhibiting the peroxidation of PUFA in vitro at levels that may be achievable in vivo. Inhibiting peroxidation of PUFA may decrease oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, a key player in atherogenesis. Finally, SDG has been reported to act as an antagonist of platelet-activating factor (PAF) [58]. 

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