Evaluating the bioactive effects of flavonoid hesperidin: A new literature data survey

A growing number of epidemiologic studies consistently shows a protective effect of polyphenol-rich foods (fruit, tea, wine, cocoa or chocolate...) against many diseases . This evidence is supported by the results of numerous studies conducted in animal models, with nutritionally realistic levels of isolated flavonoids 5, , and in humans with flavonoid-rich foods . The most famous so-called French paradox, the lack of a positive correlation between a high intake of saturated fat and the occurrence of coronary heart disease is related at least partly to the consumption of red wine , which is rich in flavonoids. Due to the variety of pharmacological activities in the human body, flavonoids are referred as “nutraceuticals” . In spite of such extensive number of articles about health benefits of flavonoids, further researches in this field are broadly conducted. In this very moment, on PubMed more than 58,000 references about flavonoids can be found. Since flavonoids are the subject of our longtime research , our aim was to give a personal account on the development of this field through a retrospective of some basic data about flavonoids, their pharmacological properties and mechanism of action. In this review, special attention was paid to one of the most promising bioactive bioflavonoids, hesperidin (Hesp).