Effects Of Natural Flavonoids Research Articles

New perspectives on natural flavonoids on COVID-19-induced lung injuries.

The SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, responsible for COVID‐19, spread rapidly worldwide and became a pandemic in 2020. In some patients, the virus remains in the respiratory tract, causing pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and sepsis, leading to death. Natural flavonoids (aglycone and glycosides) possess broad biological activities encompassing antiinflammatory, antiviral, antitumoral, antiallergic, antiplatelet, and antioxidant effects. While many studies have focused on the effects of natural flavonoids in experimental models, reports based on clinical trials are still insufficient. In this review, we highlight the effects of flavonoids in controlling pulmonary diseases, particularly the acute respiratory distress syndrome, a consequence of COVID‐19, and their potential use in coronavirus‐related diseases. Furthermore, we also focus on establishing a relationship between biological potential and chemical aspects of related flavonoids and discuss several possible mechanisms of action, pointing out some possible effects on COVID‐19.

Apigenin and hesperidin augment the toxic effect of doxorubicin against HepG2 cells

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies, with an increasing incidence. Despite the fact that systematic chemotherapy with a doxorubicin provides only marginal improvements in survival of the HCC patients, the doxorubicin is being used in transarterial therapies or combined with the target drug – sorafenib. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of natural flavonoids on the cytotoxicity of the doxorubicin against human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2.MethodsThe effect of apigenin and its glycosides - cosmosiin, rhoifolin; baicalein and its glycosides – baicalin as well as hesperetin and its glycosides – hesperidin on glycolytic genes expression of HepG2 cell line, morphology and cells’ viability at the presence of doxorubicin have been tested. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of observed results, the fluorogenic probe for reactive oxygen species (ROS), the DNA oxidative damage, the lipid peroxidation and the double strand breaks were evaluated. To assess impact on the glycolysis pathway, the mRNA expression for a hexokinase 2 (HK2) and a lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) enzymes were measured. The results were analysed statistically with the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc multiple comparisons.ResultsThe apigenin and the hesperidin revealed the strongest effect on the toxicity of doxorubicin. Both flavonoids simultaneously changed the expression of the glycolytic pathway genes - HK2 and LDHA, which play a key role in the Warburg effect. Although separate treatment with doxorubicin, apigenin and hesperidin led to a significant oxidative DNA damage and double strand breaks, simultaneous administration of doxorubicin and apigenin or hesperidin abolished these damage with the simultaneous increase in the doxorubicin toxicity.ConclusionThe obtained results indicate the existence of a very effective cytotoxic mechanism in the HepG2 cells of the combined effect of doxorubicin and apigenin (or hesperidin), not related to the oxidative stress. To explain this synergy mechanism, further research is needed, The observed intensification of the cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin by this flavonoids may be a promising direction of the research on the therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in a chemoembolization.

Advanced in studies on anxiolytic effects of natural flavonoids

Anxiety is one of the most common diseases endangering human health. Its pathogenesis is complex, the studies on the mechanisms of anxiety disorder are concentrated on neurotransmitter, neuroendocrine, immunologic system. Flavonoids are a kind of compounds which possess a variety of physiological activity, used in plenty of diseases. In recent years, researches of natural flavonoids on anti-anxiety were increasing, but contents were incomplete. It was just involved several neurotransmitters in research area. This paper is based on different anxiolytic effect mechanisms and structure-activity relationships of natural flavonoids, summarizing the researches of domestic and foreign, which can serve as a reference for further studies on anxiolytic effects of natural flavonoids.

Effects of natural flavonoids on photosynthetic activity and cell integrity in Microcystis aeruginosa.

Flavonoids are natural polyphenolic compounds produced by many aquatic plants and released in their environments. In this study, the effects of several aquatic flavonoids on cyanobacterial Microcystis aeruginosa, especially in relation to the cell growth, photosynthetic activity, cell morphology, and cell membrane integrity, were investigated. Significant growth inhibition was observed when the cyanobacteria were exposed to three flavonoids, namely, 5,4'-dihydroxyflavone (DHF), apigenin, and luteolin. Luteolin reduced the effective quantum yield, photosynthetic efficiency, and maximal electron transport rate by 70%, 59% and 44%, respectively, whereas 5,4'-DHF and apigenin slightly affected these parameters, which implies that luteolin disrupts the photosynthetic system. Moreover, 5,4'-DHF and apigenin compromised the membrane integrity, and induced membrane depolarization in 52% and 38%, and permeabilization in 30% and 44% of the cells, respectively. The 5,4'-DHF and apigenin showed more pronounced effects on M. aeruginosa morphology and membrane integrity, compared to the luteolin. These results suggest that flavonoids could have significant effects on growth and physiological functions in cyanobacterial species.

Effect of natural flavonoids, stilbenes and caffeic acid oligomers on protein glycation.

The aim of the present study was to identify the inhibitory activity of natural flavonoids, stilbenes and caffeic acid oligomers on protein glycation. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity. The production of 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by glycation reactions were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence, respectively. Certain flavonoids, stilbenes and caffeic acid oligomers prevented AGE production and the IC50 values of the compounds were compared. These examined compounds are assumed to suppress AGE generation by inhibiting the increase in 3-DG production through a specific unknown mechanism in the early phase of the Maillard reaction, by inhibiting the generation of active oxygen in the later phase and by suppressing the progression of the reaction. Regular, daily consumption of these compounds in the form of a food or extract is expected to aid in the prevention or inhibition of non-enzymatic amino acid glycation in the living body, which is possibly associated with aging, diabetic complications, arteriosclerotic diseases and Alzheimer's disease, and they may also be effective agents in cosmetics promoting anti-aging.

Inhibition of Mammalian Collagenase, Matrix Metalloproteinase-1, by Naturally-Occurring Flavonoids

Some plant flavonoids in the form of whole plant extracts have been used topically for skin inflammatory disorders. Since matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1, collagenase-1) plays an important role in unbalanced turn-over or rapid breakdown of collagen molecules in human inflamed/UV-irradiated skin, the effects of natural flavonoids on MMP-1 activity and MMP-1 expression were studied to establish the therapeutic potential. Against recombinant human MMP-1, flavonols such as quercetin and kaempferol were strong inhibitors with IC50 values of 39.6 and 43.7 microM, respectively, while flavones such as apigenin and wogonin showed only weak inhibitory activity. In addition, quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin and wogonin (12.5-25.0 microM) strongly inhibited MMP-1 induction in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate-treated human dermal fibroblasts, but naringenin (a flavanone) did not. By means of the electrophoretic mobility shift assay, these flavonoids were also found to inhibit activation of the transcription factor, activator protein-1 (AP-1). Moreover, quercetin inhibited extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation, and kaempferol inhibited p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation among the MAPKs tested. In contrast, flavones and naringenin did not inhibit the activation of these three MAPKs. These results have shown, for the first time, that naturally-occurring flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin and wogonin) inhibit MMP-1 and down-regulate MMP-1 expression via an inhibition of the AP-1 activation although the cellular inhibitory mechanisms differ depending on their chemical structures. Therefore, certain plant flavonoids or plant extracts with these flavonoids as major components may be beneficial to treat some skin inflammatory disorders and to protect skin from photoaging.