Fabaceae Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Natural flavonoids are currently receiving much attention because of their estrogenic and antiestrogenic properties. Six isoflavones (isoprunetin, isoprunetin 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, isoprunetin 4′,7-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, genistein,... more

Natural flavonoids are currently receiving much attention because of their estrogenic and antiestrogenic properties. Six isoflavones (isoprunetin, isoprunetin 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, isoprunetin 4′,7-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, genistein, genistein 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, daidzein), four flavones (luteolin, luteolin 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, luteolin 4′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, licoflavone C), isolated from Genista morisii and G. ephedroides (two Leguminosae plants of the Mediterranean area) together with two structurally related pterocarpans, bitucarpin A and erybraedyn C, isolated from Bituminaria bituminosa (Leguminosae), were tested for the antagonist activity by a yeast based estrogen receptor assay (Saccharomyces cerevisiae RMY326 ER-ERE). Most compounds inhibited the estradiol-induced transcriptional activity in a concentration dependent manner. In particular, for the flavone luteolin 77% inhibition of the induced β-galactosidase activity was observed. Interestingly, licoflavone C exhibited a dose-dependent antagonistic activity at concentrations up to 10−4 m, but stimulated β-galactosidase expression at higher concentrations resulting in a U-shaped-like dose-response curve. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.