Polyunsaturated fatty flavonoids

Chemler JA, Yan Y, Koffas MA. 2006. Biosynthesis of isoprenoids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and flavonoids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microb Cell Fact 5 20-28. 

Diseases of the heart and circulatory system, cardiovascular diseases, have long been the leading cause of mortality in Europe and North America, and total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are the two most important risk factors for coronary heart disease. Decreased arterial compliance of the arteries is thought to contribute to systolic hypertension and coronary artery insufficiency. A number of nutraceuticals have been used for long-term prevention or symptom reduction in cardiovascular diseases, notably soy products, tea flavonoids, octacosanol, n-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and, to a lesser extent, melatonin, Pycnogenol, resveratrol, coenzyme QIO, lycopene, and DHEA. 

Lipid peroxidation, the oxidative degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, is implicated in several pathological conditions—ageing, hepatotoxicity, haemolysis, cancer, atherosclerosis, tumour promotion and inflammation. Selected flavonoids may exert protective effects against cell damage produced by lipid peroxidation stimulated by a variety of toxins, owing to the antioxidant properties of the compounds (Pathak et al. 1991). 

Phospholipids increase the oxidative stability of fats and oils and fatty foods, in that they act as synergists of tocopherols (Khan and Shahidi, 2001) and other natural phenolic antioxidants, such as flavonoids. They stabilize even polyunsaturated edible oils (Kourimska et al., 1994) and fish oils. Phosphatidylcholine reacts with peroxy radicals to yield trimethylammonium oxides. Phosphatidylamines react with hpid hydroperoxides in the non-radical way to form imines. Phospholipids can also bind heavy metals, which act as prooxidants, to produce inactive, undissociated salts. 

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