| Title |
Genistein. |
Author |
Dixon RA, Ferreira D. |
Bio |
Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, 2510
Sam Noble Parkway, Ardmore, OK 73401, USA. radixon@noble.org |
| Abstract |
Genistein (4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone) is a common precursor
in the biosynthesis of antimicrobial phytoalexins and
phytoanticipins in legumes, and an important nutraceutical
molecule found in soybean seeds. Genistein is a phytoestrogen with
a wide variety of pharmacological effects in animal cells,
including tyrosine kinase inhibition, and dietary genistein
ingestion has been linked, through epidemiological and animal
model studies, with a range of potential health beneficial
effects. These include chemoprevention of breast and prostate
cancers, cardiovascular disease and post-menopausal ailments. In
spite of an extensive literature on the effects of dietary
genistein, questions still exist as to its potential overall
benefits as a component of the human diet. Genistein can be
synthesized chemically via the deoxybenzoin or chalcone route.
Genistein is synthesized in plants from the flavanone naringenin
by a novel ring migration reaction catalyzed by the cytochrome
P450 enzyme isoflavone synthase (IFS). IFS genes have recently
been cloned from a number of plant species, and production of
genistein can be now achieved in non-legumes by recombinant DNA
approaches. PMID: 12031439 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
|
| This article was
published six years ago and there is a whole lot more to genistein
that has been found recently since late 2006. The history of soy
cultivation goes back over 3,000 years and all soy natural
products are GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration. This paper gives an excellent overview as
to the beneficial actions of soy and clover isoflavones. If your
vet has questions about isoflavones, this is one good abstract to
share as well as any other that you like from the "THE
SCIENCE OF ESTRAPET". |
