Flavonoids and it's anti-cancer activity

Abstract

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds found as integral components of the human diet. They are consisting of a 15-carbon basic skeleton (C6-C3-C6), composed of a chroman (C6-C) nucleus (the benzo ring A and the heterocyclic ring C), also with phenyl (the aromatic ring B) substitution usually at the 2-position. Different substitutions can typically occur in the rings, A and B. Based on the arrangement of the hydroxyl groups, the degree of unsaturation and the oxidation of the heterocyclic C-ring flavonoids, could be further classified into: flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavanonols, flavanols, isoflavones, anthocyanidins, and chalcones. These secondary metabolites undergo metabolic transformations in the small intestine, liver and kidney. Flavonoids display a great diversity of biological activities such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory, antiallergic, estrogenic activity,antimicrobial, antiviral, among others. Flavonoids have beneficial health effects and can be considered as chemopreventive or therapeutic agents against cancer. Several mechanisms might account for their potential anticancer actions. Indeed, they possess the propensity to modify or modulate the production of ROS, the activities of enzyme systems involved in cell signal transduction and other enzymes such as cytochrome P450, GST, quinone reductase, and UDP-GT. flavonoidscan also regulate cell cancer proliferation, differentiation apoptosis, tumorgrowth and metastasis.