Academic literature on the topic 'Flavonoid Glucuronides'

Flavonoids are polyhydroxylated natural chemicals that have been shown to improve human health. These are a type of bioactive molecules that can be found in abundance in plants. These polyphenolic chemicals are naturally generated from plant metabolites. Before entering the intestine, flavonoid glycosides are deglycosylated, while aglycones can readily pass-through cell membranes. They are absorbed and transferred to the liver, where they undergo substantial metabolism, resulting in glucuronides, sulfates, and methylation compounds. These conjugates are responsible for the health-promoting possessions of flavonoids. The flavonol subclass was the first to be researched, with quercetin as the most common dietary flavonol, and information on other flavonoid subclasses is still developing. Cellular signaling pathways mediate the antidiabetic benefits of dietary flavonoids in the pancreas, liver, and skeletal muscle. Flavonoids modulate distinct signaling pathways in pancreatic cells, hepatocytes, adipocytes, and skeletal myofibers via acting on various molecular targets. Flavonoids may help people with diabetes firstly by improving hyperglycemia through glucose metabolism regulation in hepatocytes and secondly by reducing insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress in muscle and fat and by increasing glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue. A greater understanding of the flavonoid pathway’s regulatory mechanisms would likely favor the progress of novel bioprocessing techniques for the production of value-added plants with optimal flavonoid content.

Luffa cylindrica, popularly known as sponge gourd is a tropic and sub-tropical fibrous plant with fruits containing black seeds. The fruit is consumed by humans as a vegetable in many parts of Asia, while different parts of the plant are used for cosmetics and as medicine in many parts of the globe. The plant has been used in the treatment of many ailments including nose cancer, snake venom, wound healing, edema, enterobiasis, filaria, whooping cough, stomach upset, stomach pain and malaria. Many health-promoting compounds such as flavonoids (apigenin-7- glucuronide luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester, -O-feruloyl-β-D-glucose, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester), phenolics acids (p-Coumaric, gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic), triterpenoids (oleanolic acid and echinocystic acid), saponins (Lucyoside A-M), tannins (catechin), ribosome-inactivating proteins (α- luffin), carotenoids (9 -cis neoxanthin, all-trans-lutein, all-trans-β-carotene), chlorophylls (chlorophyll a and b, pheophytin), cucurbitacin B and gypsogenin have been detected or isolated from different parts of the plants. Extracts of the plant and isolated compounds have wide spectrum pharmacological activities and have been shown to possess antiemetic, antidiabetic, antiviral, wound healing, anticancer, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anti-bacteria, anthelmintic, hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, and hepato-protective effects in animal models. However, further information is needed on its safety and mechanisms of action. The present article is an updated review of the ethnobotanical uses, pharmacological actions, phytochemistry, safety, and future application of Luffa cylindrica in translational medicine.