BLBS102-c37 BLBS102-Simpson March 21, 2012 14:15 Trim: 276mm X 219mm Printer Name: Yet to Come
714 Part 6: Health/Functional Foods
2-Phenyl-1,4-benzopyrone
(The basic backbone
structure of flavonoids)
Myricetin
O
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
HO B
A
O
O
OH
HO
A
O
B
O
OH
HO
B
O
A
O
O
Quercetin
Kaempferol
Catechin
Apigenin
Genistein
Naringenin
Naringin
O
OH O
OH
O O
O
O
O
OH
OH
OHO
HO
HO
OH
H 3 C
HO
HO
OH
O
OH
HO
OH
OH
OH
O
OH O
HO
OH
O
HO O
HO
OH
OH
O
OH O
OH
O O
O
O
O
OHO
OH
HO
HO
H 3 C
HO
HO OH
OCH 3
HO
OCH 3
Hesperidin
Hesperetin
Figure 37.7.Structures of common flavonoids.
have a common core structure, the benzopyrone ring (Fig. 37.7),
which bears a structural resemblance to the flavylium ion of
anthocyanins or anthocyanidins (Fig. 37.6). Flavonoids are sub-
divided into five sub-classes: the flavanols, the flavanones, the
flavonols, the flavones, and the isoflavones. These five groups of
compounds exhibit subtle differences in structure, such as de-
gree of saturation or unsaturation, and/or position of substituent
groups (Fig. 37.7). Examples of the flavanols are catechin, epi-
catechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin
gallate, and theaflavins; examples of the flavanones are butin,
hesperidin, hesperetin, naringenin and naringin; the flavonols
include azaleatin, quercitin, kaempferol, myricetin, morin, and
rhamnetin; members of the flavones family include apigenin,
baicalein, chrysin, luteolin, tangeritin, and wogonin; and the
isoflavones are typified by daidzein, genistein, and glycitein.
The flavonoids have lower coloring power compared with the