Genistein as antioxidant and antibrowning agents in in vivo and in vitro: A review.

Genistein is a phytoestrogen with diverse biological activities. It is a potent antioxidant and antibrowning agent in in vivo and in vitro. Genistein acts as a preventative and therapeutic effects for cancers, postmenopausal syndrome, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases in animals and humans. Gensitein possesses cancer related enzyme-inhibitory effect and substantially inhibits skin carcinogenesis and cutaneous aging induced by ultraviolet (UV) light in mice and photodamage in humans. Two-stage skin carcinogenesis showed genistein exhibited a moderate inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase activity through blockage of DNA adducts formation. The anticancer, anti-inflammatory, cardio-protective and enzyme-inhibitory effects of genistein might be related to their antioxidant activities. Genistein also altered the Maillard reaction pathway by trapping the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) both in biological and protein-lactose suspensions. As a result, soy isoflavone can be used to enrich or fortify different types of food products.