Bioflavonoids are natural products found throughout the plant kingdom. Bioflavonoids are polyphenols naturally present in fruits and vegetable. High concentrations of bioflavonoids can be found especially in citrus fruits such as rosehips, limes, lemons, grapefruits, oranges, and blackcurrants. The major bioflavonoids found in citrus fruits are diosmin, hesperidin, rutin, naringin, tangeretin, diosmetin, narirutin, neohesperidin, nobiletin, and quercetin.
Citrus bioflavonoids and related substances are widely used in Europe.
Physiological Benefits of Bioflavonoids
Bioflavonoids are strong antioxidants and free-radical scavengers that can be a cytoprotectant in situations where oxidants or chemicals become harmful to cells.Bioflavonoids affect enzymatic lipid peroxidation due to their enzyme-inhibiting properties, as well as nonenzymatic lipid peroxidation due to their antioxidant properties.