Abstract
Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds classified into flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, catechins, anthocyanidins, and chalcones according to their chemical structures. They are abundantly found in Nature and over 8,000 flavonoids have from different sources, mainly plant materials, have been described. Recently reports have shown the valuable effects of flavonoids as antiviral, anti-allergic, antiplatelet, antitumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agents and interest in these compounds has been increasing since they can be helpful to human health. Several mechanisms of action are involved in the biological properties of flavonoids such as free radical scavenging, transition metal ion chelation, activation of survival genes and signaling pathways, regulation of mitochondrial function and modulation of inflammatory responses. The anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids have been described in a number of studies in the literature, but not frequently associated to respiratory disease. Thus, this review aims to discuss the effects of different flavonoids in the control of lung inflammation in some disorders such as asthma, lung emphysema and acute respiratory distress syndrome and the possible mechanisms of action, as well as establish some structure-activity relationships between this biological potential and chemical profile of these compounds.
Highlights
Flavonoids are cytoprotective compounds that are present in dietary plants and vegetables
Studies have shown that the flavonols such as quercetin (18) and kaempferol (12) exhibit significant anti-inflammatory actions which are believed to be through the inhibition of the phospholipase A2, lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase and tromboxane enzymes and through the modulation of iNOS thereby inhibiting Nitric oxide (NO) production [57,66]
We report that the main effect of flavonoids in lung disease could be attributed to an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect
Summary
Flavonoids are cytoprotective compounds that are present in dietary plants and vegetables. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of flavonoids make them likely candidates for evaluation for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including pulmonary diseases [1,2,3,4]. Flavonoids afford cellular protection by inhibiting enzymes involved in cell proliferation and modulating the expression of proteins associated with apoptosis [5]. We focus on the anti-inflammatory activity of flavonoids with respect to respiratory illness and correlate the structural and functional relationship of these compounds
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