Bioflavonoids

Figure 1. Strongly pigmented fruits and vegetables contain high concentrations of Bioflavonoids.

Bioflavonoids or Flavonoids are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, thus they are commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Bioflavonoids are commonly called "plant pigments" and they produce the colour in plants, fruits, and vegetables.

Over 5000 naturally occurring Bioflavonoids have been characterized from various plants. They have been classified according to their chemical structure and are usually subdivided into the subgroups. The most common subgroups used in dietary supplements are Anthocyanosides and Anthoxanthins.

• Anthocyanosides (anthocyanidins and anthocyanins) are pigments which may appear red, purple, blue, or black.
• Anthoxanthins (flavone and flavonol) are pigments which may appear white, creamy, or yellow.

Bioflavonoids, in general, arouse considerable interest as a dietary supplement due to their broad pharmacological activities. Bioflavonoids have been purported to have antiviral, antiallergic, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory and antitumoral activities which have been ascribed to their concomitant inhibition of enzymes involved in the production of free radicals and to their free-radical scavenging and iron chelating capacity. These pharmacological activities may be useful in the prevention or treatment of ocular diseases responsible for vision loss such as diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and cataract.

Some examples of food sources containing Bioflavonoids include:

• Parsley
• Blueberries
• Bilberries
• Black Tea
• Citrus Fruits such as Oranges, Grapefruit, and Lemons
• Peanuts