Flavonoids

Brazilin, isolated from Caesalpinia sappan has been known as a natural red pigment, exhibits the inhibitory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated NO production in a dose-dependent manner (IC50=24.3 microM), might be associated with the regulation of transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1; inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) plays an important role in inflammation and carcinogenesis, suggests that the suppressive effect of iNOS gene expression by brazilin might provide one possible mechanism for its anti-inflammatory and cancer chemopreventive activity.

Tectorigenin (Tg) and tectoridin (Td) are the major compounds isolated from the rhizomes of iridaceous plant Belamcanda chinensis which is well known as a chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases; Tectorigenin inhibits IFN-γ/LPS-induced inflammatory responses in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, it appears to have the potential to prevent inflammation.

Luteolin-6-C-glucoside has antioxidant activity.

Cimifugin, isolated from Peucedanum schottii, displays low to moderate inhibition towards AChE and BChE (3.12 and 21.63%, respectively) at 200 μg mL-1.

<p>Epitheaflagallin 3-O-gallate: potential antiobesity, antiperiodontal agent; inhibits tumor growth by blocking angiogenesis.</p>

Procyanidin B1, one of the major components of Flavangenol, also suppresses fat accumulation and induced mRNA expression of the fatty acid oxidative enzymes.

Sakuranetin, a flavanone phytoalexin from ultraviolet-irradiated rice leaves, it has antifungal, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, it shows a suppressive effect on umu gene expression of SOS response in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 against the mutagen furylfuramide. Sakuranetin may contribute to maintain glucose homeostasis in animals, it can strongly induce differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, stimulate glucose uptake in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes.Sakuranetin stimulates melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells via inhibition of ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, which lead to upregulation of Tyr, TRP1, and TRP2.

Marein shows neuroprotective effect on PC12 cell damage induced by methylglyoxal, which is due to a reduction of damage to mitochondria function and activation of the AMPK signal pathway, it may be a potent compound for preventing/counteracting diabetic encephalopathy. Marein can improve insulin resistance induced by high glucose in HepG2 cells through CaMKK/AMPK/GLUT1 to promote glucose uptake, through IRS/Akt/GSK-3β to increase glycogen synthesis, and through Akt/FoxO1 to decrease gluconeogenesis. Marein shows antioxidant activity, it shows Histone deacetylase enzymes (HDACs) inhibitory activity and it also can inhibit TNFα-induced NF-κB activation.