Taxifolin
Taxifolin
Taxifolin or dihydroquercetin is a flavonoid whose term in the official IUPAC nomenclature is: (2R, 3R) -3,3 ′, 4 ′, 5,7-Pentahydroxyflavan-4-one.
Taxifolin has a brute or molecular formula: C15H12O7 and is a substance of natural origin present in some conifers such as: Larix sibirica Ledeb. and Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex (D.Don) G.Don, 1830 and others.
From a structural point of view, taxifolin has two stereocenters on the C-ring, as opposed to quercetin which does not.
Taxifolin is also found in non-glutinous rice boiled with adzuki beans (adzuki-meshi).
It is also found in silymarin extract from milk thistle seeds.
It is also present in aged vinegars and cherry wood.
Taxifolin, along with some flavonoids, is found in many beverages and products. It is particularly found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, wine, tea and cocoa.
From a pharmacological point of view, taxifolin is not mutagenic and less toxic than quercetin.
It acts as a potential chemopreventive agent by regulating genes through an ARE-dependent mechanism.
Taxifolin has been shown to inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. However, in this same study, taxifolin was the least effective flavonoid in inhibiting VEGF expression. There is also a strong correlation (with a correlation coefficient of 0.93) between the antiproliferative effects of taxifolin derivatives on murine skin fibroblasts and human breast cancer cells.
Taxifolin has been shown to have anti-proliferative effects on many types of cancer cells by inhibiting the lipogenesis of cancer cells. By inhibiting fatty acid synthase in cancer cells, taxifolin is able to prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells.
The ability of taxifolin to stimulate the formation of fibrils and to promote the stabilization of the fibrillar forms of collagen can be used in medicine. Taxifolin also inhibits cellular melanogenesis with the same effectiveness as arbutin, one of the most widely used hypopigmenting agents in cosmetics. However, arbutin acts like extremely mutagenic, carcinogenic and toxic quercetin.
Taxifolin also improves the efficacy of conventional antibiotics such as levofloxacin and ceftazidime in vitro, which have potential for combinatorial therapy in patients infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Taxifolin, like many other flavonoids, has also been found to act as a non-selective opioid receptor antagonist, albeit with somewhat weak affinity.
In general, taxifolin shows promising pharmacological activities in the management of inflammations, tumors, microbial infections, oxidative stress, cardiovascular and hepatic disorders.
Warning: The information shown is not medical advice and may not be accurate. The contents are for illustrative purposes only and do not replace medical advice.