Quercetin

Quercetin





Quercetin is a most abundant Polyphenolic bioflavonoid or Flavonoid (generally classified as a flavonol, comprising 3 rings and 5 hydroxyl groups) has many health beneficial effects, including improvement of cardiovascular health and reducing the risk for cancer.

Quercetin is the most abundant of the flavonoids consisting of three (3) rings and five (5) hydroxyl groups, occuring in food as a aglycone (attached to a sugar molecule) and also a building block for other flavonoids.

• Quercetin derivatives can be lipophilic (or hydrophilic) in nature based on the type of substituents in the molecule. Its found in many common foods including Apple, Tea, Onion, Nuts, Berries, Cauliflower and Cabbage. They are synthesised by the glands present on the surface of leaves, flowers and fruits. Quercetin is a water-soluble plant pigment commonly found in tea, Red Wine, Apples, Onions, Leafy Vegetables.
In general, O-methyl, C-methyl and prenyl derivatives of Quercetin are lipophilic in character.
Formula: C15H10O7












Quercetin Mechanism of Absorption

• Its absorption is improved by conjugation with glucose, where it is proposed that Quercetin-3-glucoside on reacting with bacterial enzyme results in the formation Quercetin, which further reacts with colon and tissues to give 3,4-diOH-phenylacetic acid and isorhamnetin.
• 3,4-diOH-phenylacetic acid which is produced, further interacts with colon and tissues to give 3-OH-phenylacetic acid and fumes (5.4-OH-3-methoxy-phenylacetic acid), thereby finally Its formed is absorbed from the small intestine to colon.
• 0.07-17.4% of the amount of Quercetin consumed Is excreted as Its (or its conjugates).

• Thermal processes have a great influence on the availability of Flavonoid from foods, based on their magnitude and duration of exposure.
• Various thermal processes like drying, microwaving, heating by an autoclave, roasting, pasteurisation, blanching have been used and their respective impact on the flavanoid.
• The degradation of Flavonoids may also be influenced by other parameters such as pH, Phytochemicals and their structure and also by the presence or absence of oxygen.

• High proportions of Flavonoids are lost during the pre-processing step when undesired parts of the product is removed or cut off.
• For instance, during peeling and trimming of Onions it said to result in 39% of Flavonoids to lose.
• An increase in Its intake could be accomplished by increasing the consumption of more fruit and Vegetables.

Actions of Quercetin

Anti-Inflammatory
• Pain fighter
• Natural anti-histamine
• Helps Asthma
Anti-Cancer
• Anti-Allergic
• Anti-Toxic
• Anti-Osteoporosis
• Anti-Diabetes
• Improve physical performance





Health Benefits of Quercetin



Anti-Aging

Anti-Aging


• Its has an ability to fight factors that promote early aging being an anti-oxidant, thus can contribute to youthful looking Skin (nourishes the Skin naturally and enhances complexion).




Foods & Bones

Bones

Bones


• Its able to downregulate the inflammatory response of Bone marrow-derived macrophages, inhibits cytokine and inducible NOS expression through the inhibition of the NF-kB pathway.

• It suppresses LPS-induced activation of STAT-1 in macrophages suggesting that its effects on STAT-1 are stimulus and cell-type independent.

• It inhibits LPS-induced STAT-1 activation, iNOS expression, NF-kB activation, IFN-?-induced signal transducer, and activates of transcription 1 (STAT-1).




Foods & Bones

Cancer Prevention

Cancer & Tumor Prevention


• Quercetin is a powerful natural Anti-Inflammatory and a major Flavonoid compound that has Anti-Cancer effects. It has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumours and even cause Cancer cells to commit suicide (cancer-fighting agents without damaging healthy cells).

• It helps prevent the growth of Prostate Cancer cells, reduce Lung Cancer risk and provided relief of pelvic pain in men with Prostatitis.

Quercetin anti-carcinogenic activity is found to be related to its ability to impose (or prevent) damage to DNA, slow the growth of Cancer cells and it also helps to foster apoptosis. The induction of apoptosis in Cancer cells has been proved to be an vital step in the development of novel Anti-Cancer drug.

Quercetin induces apoptosis of Cancer cells through different mechanisms, thus reduces the risk of Prostate, ovary, breast, gastric and Colon Cancer cells. It induces apoptosis and influences Protein and Lipid kinase signaling pathways.

Quercetin being an important natural cancer-fighter (an Anti-Cancer agent), it has been connected to a reduction in pancreatic, Prostate, colorectal, and Skin Cancers.




Foods & Cancer

Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular System


Quercetin has been shown, to modify eicosanoid biosynthesis, prevent platelet aggregation, relax cardiovascular smooth muscle (may have Anti-hypertensive and anti-arrhythmic effects) and to exert anti-viral and carcino-static properties.

• Its an anti-oxidant abundant in Apples that helps reduce bad (LDL) Cholesterol oxidation. Its the major representative of the flavonol subclass which as powerful anti-oxidant prevents from oxidation of LDL (low density lipoproteins).

Quercetin promotes overall cardiovascular health, as it encourages blood flow, naturally promotes balanced blood pressure and protects against bad (LDL) Cholesterol oxidation, thus may be beneficial because oxidation causes bad (LDL) Cholesterol to stick to artery walls.

• Its a potent vasodilatory agent and a safe alternative to the anti-oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory drugs used for conditions like cardiovascular disease, where it positively reduces several of the risk factors related to heart disease (including blood pressure) and cytokine-induced C-reactive Protein [CRP] expression.

Quercetin anti-oxidant properties are beneficial in LDL (low density lipoproteins) Cholesterol reduction and heart disease protection.




Foods & Cardiovascular System

Circulatory System

Circulatory System


Quercetin (as many other Flavonoids-rich diets) can reduce the risk of heart disease by protecting against Myocardial Infarction and Stroke, inhibit oxidation of bad (LDL) Cholesterol, and lowers blood pressure.

Quercetin protects cellular structures and blood vessels from the damaging effects of free radicals (anti-oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory activity).

Quercetin improves blood vessel strength and stems the activity of catechol-O-methyltransferase that suppress the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, leading to elevated levels of norepinephrine, thermogenesis, and fat oxidation.

• It affects Lipid peroxidation and provides a supportive effect in circulation, through its ability to scavenge and bind transition metal ions and reduce inducible nitric oxide synthase activity.




Foods & Circulatory System

Diabetes

Diabetes


Quercetin can also block an enzyme resulting in sorbitol accumulation which has been associated with nerve, kidney or Eye damage in diabetics.

• Its a candidate for preventing obesity-related diseases (may help to reduce symptoms of Diabetes patients) as it reduces blood glucose level, improves plasma insulin levels, and may have a pharmacological application in treating cardiovascular disease in Diabetes Mellitus patients.




Foods & Diabetes

Eye

Eye


Quercetin may protect against Cataract formation.




Foods & Eye

Immune System

Immune System


• It appears to have Anti-Inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. It has several influences on Immune System function, such as mast cell stabilizing activity, transcription factors cytokines control (a major part of the Immune System and function) and hematopoiesis (the process of creating new blood cells).

• Its widely known for its anti-oxidant property (its ability to scavenge free radicals and bind transition metal ions) and an excellent scavenger of ROS (reducing oxidative Stress), where it inhibits NF-kB activation, thereby directly reducing the cytokine production via this transcription factor.

• It acts as an anti-oxidant by preventing oxidative Stress (the major cause for generation of ROS).

• The Flavonoids comprising 3-OH and 3`, 4`-catechol is known to be ten (10) times more effective towards peroxynitrite than ebselen (a RNS scavenger).

Quercetin shows Anti-Inflammatory action by its direct anti-oxidant action, inhibition of inflammatory mediators, enzymes (such as lipoxygenase) and the release of histamine (causes congestion by basophils and mast cells).

Quercetin exerts many beneficial health effects, including improvement of cardiovascular health, reducing risk for Cancer, protection against Osteoporosis.




Foods & Immune System

Infections

Infections


• Its effective against viruses (it posses anti-viral activity against enveloped viruses such as herpes simplex type I, parainfluenza type 3, Respiratory syncytial, pseudorabies, and Sindbis) and its anti-viral activity is due to its ability to bind to viral coat Protein and polymerases and also to damage DNA.

• It has Anti-Inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-toxic effects linked to its strong anti-oxidant action and also modulation of the expression of specific enzymes.

Quercetin influences intracellular enzymes and reduces excessive histamine excretion, amount of inflammatory or allergic reaction chemicals in the body. Histamines are chemicals in the body that the Immune System makes to help the body to get rid of an allergen.

Quercetin acts as anti-histamine agent preventing from Allergies or Asthma.




Foods & Infections

Metabolism

Metabolism


• It supports Vitamin C absorption, while the enzyme beta-glucuronidase metabolizes it to the active aglycone form, which leads to reduced expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2.




Foods & Metabolism

Musculoskeletal System

Musculoskeletal System


• Its widely known for its Anti-Inflammatory activity (found to be effective against inflammation), thereby proving it to be a potent Anti-Inflammatory agent. It can aid performance through its Anti-Inflammatory properties or by stimulating the activity of mitochondria.




Foods & Musculoskeletal System

Oral & Dental

Oral & Dental


Quercetin helps to induce mild symptomatic relief and reduces the occurrence of Mouth Sores.




Foods & Dental

Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health





Foods & Reproductive Health

Respiratory System

Respiratory System


• Its found to ease the symptoms of Asthma (a chronic lung-disease that swells and narrows the airways, thereby causing difficulty in breathing) and reduce pathologies of Asthma (such as eosinophil and neutrophil enrollment, bronchial epithelial cell activation, mucus and Collagen production) and airway Hyperactivity.

Quercetin (for people with high intake) can improve lung function by lowering the risk of certain Respiratory diseases (Asthma and Bronchitis).

Quercetin functions as a bronchodilator (a drug that opens the airways of the lungs), thus can reduce the severity of Asthma attacks that react to those chemicals, and also reduce various forms of Congestion that are unrelated to Asthma.




Foods & Respiratory System

The Brain & Nervous System

The Brain & Nervous System


• Its neuroprotective and neurotoxic, where Quercetin treatment affects the working of the Nervous System by depleting the intracellular glutathione contents. It enhances brain function, and reduce oxidative Stress by increasing glutathione anti-oxidant levels.

Quercetin can fight extended Stress effects as it suppresses the enzyme necessary for cortisol release (a Hormone that produces that “fight or flight” response and can damage muscle tissue, leading to Protein breakdown in the body).

• It can protect the brain from the toxicity associated with the D-galactose by increasing superoxide dismutase levels (a natural anti-oxidant enzyme) and reducing malondialdehyde (a biomarker of oxidative Stress).




Foods & Nervous System

Weight Management

Weight Management


Quercetin helps regulate weight by modulating the AMPK (AMP-activated Protein kinase) and MAPK (Mitogen-activated Protein kinases) pathways. Its able to block the formation of fat cells and cause existing fat cells to destroy themselves.

AMP-activated Protein kinase (AMPK) plays is a master regulator of cellular Energy homeostasis.

Mitogen-activated Protein kinases (MAPKs) is an evolutionary conserved family of Serine/Threonine Protein kinases involved in a range of fundamental cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, motility, Stress response, apoptosis, and survival.




Foods & Weight Management