The effects of dietary flavonoids on the regulation of redox inflammatory networks

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2012 Jun 1;17(7):2396-418. doi: 10.2741/4061.

Abstract

Dietary flavonoids are a large family of polyphenols ubiquitously expressed in plants. Recent evidence show that flavonoids possess several anti-inflammatory activities due to their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS), to inhibit the pro-inflammatory activity of ROS-generating enzymes including cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase (LOX) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and to modulate different intracellular signaling pathways from NF-kB to mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) through perturbation of redox-sensible networks in immune cells. This report will review current knowledge on the anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids on immune cells focusing on their ability to modulate multiple redox-sensible pathways involved in inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Diet
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology*
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Inflammation / metabolism*
  • Inflammation / prevention & control*
  • Models, Biological
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Reactive Nitrogen Species / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Flavonoids
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Reactive Nitrogen Species
  • Reactive Oxygen Species