Equol estrogenic activity

Coumestans, such as coumestrol, are found in high concentrations in alfalfa and clover and have been recognized, along with formononetin, as the cause of infertility in grazing herbivores. Whereas coumestrol acts as an estrogen mimic directly, formononetin has to be metabolized to the estrogenically active compounds diadzein, equol, or >-demethylangolensein. 

Over 300 different plants contain either compounds with estrogenic activity or precursors for the formation of nonsteroidal estrogens. Coumestrol, equol, and zearalenone are examples of phytoestrogens that are found in legumes, tubers, and fungi that infest grains. These substances clearly act as reproductive toxins in sheep (equol in clover disease) and... 

Keywords Isoflavones, Phytoestrogens, estradiol (17P-estradiol), Estrogenlike aetivity. Phytoalexin, Anti-inflammatory isoflavonoids. Selective estrogen receptor binding, Equol, Oestrogenic activity. Gut bacteria... 

ISOFLAVONES ALSO COULD BE PRODUCED IN HUMAN Body Equol (49) of Isoflavone Metabolism Product with Estrogen Activity... 

Fig. 77.2 (a) Structure of the main Isoflavones with estrogenic activities, (b) Structure of the main Isoflavone glucosides. (c) Tri-dtmensional structure of 17P-E2. (d) Tri-dimensional structure of S-Equol... 

Soy foods have been found to be a precursor into the weak estrogen-like active equol (49) (Figure 12). 

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