Flavones (from Latinflavus "yellow") are a class of flavonoids based on the backbone of 2-phenylchromen-4-one (2-phenyl-1-benzopyran-4-one) (as shown in the first image of this article).[1][2]
Flavones are common in foods, mainly from spices, and some yellow or orange fruits and vegetables.[1] Common flavones include apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyflavone), luteolin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone), tangeritin (4',5,6,7,8-pentamethoxyflavone), chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone), and 6-hydroxyflavone.[1]
Intake and elimination
The estimated daily intake of flavones is about 2 mg per day.[1] Following ingestion and metabolism, flavones, other polyphenols, and their metabolites are absorbed poorly in body organs and are rapidly excreted in the urine, indicating mechanisms influencing their presumed absence of metabolic roles in the body.[1][3]
Drug interactions
Flavones have effects on CYP (P450) activity,[4][5] which are enzymes that metabolize most drugs in the body.
Another method is the dehydrative cyclization of certain 1,3-diaryl diketones.[11]
Wessely–Moser rearrangement
The Wessely–Moser rearrangement (1930)[12] has been an important tool in structure elucidation of flavonoids. It involves the conversion of 5,7,8-trimethoxyflavone into 5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone on hydrolysis of the methoxy groups to phenol groups. It also has synthetic potential for example:[13]
This rearrangement reaction takes place in several steps: A ring opening to the diketone, B bond rotation with formation of a favorable acetylacetone-like phenyl-ketone interaction and C hydrolysis of two methoxy groups and ring closure.
In one preliminary 2021 study, flavone intake was associated with lower odds of subjective cognitive decline after adjustment for age, total energy intake, major nondietary factors, and specific dietary factors.[16]
References
^ abcde"Flavonoids". Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. November 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
^"Flavone". ChemSpider, Royal Society of Chemistry. 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
^Cermak R, Wolffram S (Oct 2006). "The potential of flavonoids to influence drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics by local gastrointestinal mechanisms". Curr Drug Metab. 7 (7): 729–744. doi:10.2174/138920006778520570. PMID17073577.
^Ferrer JL, Jez JM (1999). "Structure of chalcone synthase and the molecular basis of plant polyketide biosynthesis". Nat. Struct. Biol. 6 (8): 775–784. doi:10.1038/11553. PMID10426957. S2CID23408591.
^Jez JM, Bowman ME (2000). "Structure and mechanism of the evolutionarily unique plany enzyme chalcone isomerase". Nat. Struct. Biol. 7 (9): 786–791. doi:10.1038/79025. PMID10966651. S2CID22198011.
^ abDewick, Paul M. (2009). "The Shikimate Pathway: Aromatic Amino Acids and Phenylpropanoids". Medicinal Natural Products. A Biosynthetic Approach. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 137–186. doi:10.1002/9780470742761.ch4. ISBN978-0-470-74276-1.