Flavonoid - what is it? What are the flavonoids and what is their effect on the human body?

The ability of some fruits and vegetables to improve the functioning of certain organ systems has long been known to mankind. As a result of the research it became known that these special properties are possessed by a special substance that is contained in plants and plays an important role in their vital activity. And this substance is called "flavonoid." What it is, and how it affects the human body, you can learn from this article.

A bit of history

Physicians in ancient times used the useful properties of certain vegetables and fruits for the treatment of various diseases. However, they did not even think about the matter, what substances that make up these plants make these products able to cure this or that disease. For the first time to the question, flavonoid - what is it, answered the Nobel Prize winner in medicine and physiology Albert de Saint-György in 1936. His research was devoted to flavonoids contained in red pepper. Albert de Saint-Györdi found that using this vegetable helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels due to some beneficial substances of red color, and called them vitamin P. However, this name did not stick. Moreover, over the next fifty years, this topic was not much interested in science, but in the early 90s of the last century a new boom began to occur. This was due to the fact that a group of American scientists discovered the antioxidant properties of flavonoids contained in some vegetables and fruits. After that, it was decided to use these useful qualities of plants to neutralize free radicals.

What is a flavonoid?

A group of substances contained in vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs and affecting the action of enzymes in the body is called flavonoids. They are widely used both in folk and traditional medicine, pharmacology. These substances are also responsible for coloring the fruits, they participate in photosynthesis. What is a flavonoid? What is it - a vitamin or something else? This is a heterocyclic compound. It is poorly soluble in water, it can be of different colors (yellow, red, orange, etc.). Flavonoids can also be called natural plant dyes. In this case, they are contained only in plants, but in no case in the animal body.

Flavonoids: classification and species

Today, scientists have identified over 6,500 flavonoids, which are grouped into 24 groups. Among them there are lipophilic and water-soluble compounds. Some of these groups are plant pigments. They cause coloring of fruits of plants and flowers. Depending on the degree of oxidation of the 3-carbon fragment, there are the following classes of flavonoid compounds:

• Leucoanthocyanidins (leucocyanidin, leukodelphinidin, leucopelargonidine);
• Catechins;
• Flavonones;
• Chalcones;
• Dihydrochalcones;
• Flavononols;
• Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins;
• Aurons;
• Flavonols (bioflavonoids);
• Isoflavones.

The most famous of the flavonoids to date is the routine or, as it is called otherwise, vitamin C ₂ , or R. What is he so famous for? This substance has a special vasoconstrictor property. For this it (or its synthetic analog) is one of the components of many drugs, for example, rutin is part of the drug Ascorutinum, designed to increase the elasticity of capillaries and blood vessels.

Flavonoids: action on the body

Useful properties of flavonoids for the human body are not limited to vasoconstrictive effect. In addition, they have such important influences as:

• Anti-edematous;
• Venotonic;
• Vasodilator;
• Antiatherosclerotic;
• Membrane stabilizing;
• Antiallergic;
• Antihypertensive;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Cardioprotective;
• Immunomodulating;
• Anticarcinogenic;
• Antioxidant;
• Detoxifying;
• Antihypoxic;
• Estrogen-like and others.

Proceeding from this, it can be said that flavonoids possess antioxidant, anti-radiation, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, hypotensive, estrogenic, bactericidal, diuretic,

Beneficial features

As you can see, flavonoids for humans are useful and even necessary. They contribute to the proper functioning of the body, and their action is not aggressive. Knowing their useful properties, it's easy to help your body independently in solving some problems. So, for example, thanks to an antioxidant effect, red wine (in moderate amounts) is recommended to residents of the zone with increased radiation. However, flavonoids, which have been scientifically proven on the body, are not, however, essential medicines. They can only become auxiliary, accompanying the basic therapy. However, despite the fact that the flavonoids in the plants are in sufficient quantity, nevertheless, they are often unstable. If they are handled incorrectly, they may die.

Products containing flavonoids

Today, preparations containing flavonoids can be bought at a pharmacy or ordered on the Internet. However, it is much more useful to take vegetables and fruits, which include these useful substances. Where are the flavonoids? Here is an incomplete list of products in which there are these useful substances:

• cocoa;
• Tea, especially green (flavones and catechins);
• Red grapes and red wine;
• Apricots, plums, apples, peaches, pears, quinces and others;
• Berries: cherry, blueberry, raspberry, blueberries, strawberries, black and red currants, black mulberry, hawthorn, barberry, etc .;
• Citrus fruits: lemon, orange, grapefruit, mandarin (flavonones, flavones);
• Vegetables: cabbage, carrots, beets, eggplants, etc.

Flavonoids are the most rich in vegetables and fruits, which have a bright burgundy or violet color, including wild fruits. It is proved that in the latter the content of natural pigments is much higher, and this is mainly leucoanthocyanidins, pink flavones, and isoflavonoids in beans.

How to take flavonoids?

At the present time, there is hardly anyone who has not heard the word "flavonoid", what it is and what it is "eaten". In recent years, these substances are in the focus of attention of pharmacologists, who are increasingly using them for the production of medicines. By the way, many scientists of this field "got" the idea to create the so-called elixir of youth, using all the same flavonoids. The use of these substances for the human body is obvious. But are their useful properties capable of fighting the signs of aging? In any case, they are definitely more useful than harm. Therefore, the use of vegetables rich in flavonoids, fruits, berries, greens will only foster your health, fill the body with energy. You will feel younger, fresh, more cheerful and healthier. In addition, these products can be eaten in unlimited quantities. Believe me, you will not face an overdose of flavonoids, of course, if it's not about bioactive additives. In no case should they be used without the advice of a doctor or without studying the instructions, especially the "dosage" item.