Recent studies on flavonoids and their antioxidant activities.



Flavonoids are widely distributed plant secondary metabolites with various metabolic functions. They are ubiquitous in fruits and vegetables that are regularly consumed by humans. These natural compounds are categorized by their chemical structure into 6 major subgroups as follows: chalcones, flavones, flavonols, flavandiols, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins (Winkel-Shirley, 2001[27]; Falcone Ferreyra et al., 2012[7]). More than 6000 different flavonoids have been identified, and this number is certain to increase as more researches are conducted on them (Ferrer et al., 2008[8]).

Flavonoids have attracted considerable interest because of their potentially beneficial effects in humans; they have been reported to have antiviral, antiallergic, antiplatelet, antiinflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant activities (Izzi et al., 2012[13]; Kay et al., 2012[14]). Many investigations have focused on these health-promoting effects and antioxidant activities of flavonoids, particularly their role in the chemoprevention of cancer (Gonzalez-Paramas et al., 2011[11]; Galleano et al., 2012[9]). We have reviewed the most recent studies on flavonoids and their antioxidant activities (Table 1(Tab. 1)). (References in Table 1: Corradini et al., 2011[3]; Morales et al., 2012[20]; Gong et al., 2010[10]; Liu et al., 2012[17]; Seelinger et al., 2008[23]; Calderón-Montaño et al., 2011[2]; Wang et al., 2010[26]; Margina et al., 2012[18]; Liu et al., 2012[16]; Waisundara et al., 2011[25]; Marković et al., 2009[19]; Hyun et al., 2010[12]; Devi et al., 2010[5]; Verdan et al., 2011[24]; Li et al., 2011[15]; Yang et al., 2012[28]; Annadurai et al., 2012[1]; Rossato et al., 2011[22]; Park et al., 2010[21]; Duchnowicz et al., 2012[6]; de Pascual-Teresa et al., 2010[4]).

Table 1

Recent studies on flavonoid compounds and their antioxidant activities

Notes

Jai-Heon Lee and Sang Un Park (Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-764, Korea; phone: +82-42-821-5730; email: supark@cnu.ac.kr ) contributed equally as corresponding authors.

Acknowledgements

This work was carried out with the support of the "Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ906938)" Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.