ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF BIOACTIVE FLAVONOID: QUERCETIN

Narendra Namdev, Gayatri Rai and Payal Mahobiya*

ABSTRACT

Toxicant exposure and free radical generation are closely associated with number of complications due to oxidative stress. Greater free radical generation and reduced antioxidant leads to diseased condition. Endogenous antioxidant prevents free radical generated oxidative stress but fails in case greater free radical generation. In such cases, phytoconstituents including flavonoids are needed. Quercetin and other flavonoid exhibit protective potential against toxicants inducing reproductive and endocrine toxicities. The summarized data of recent investigations which emphasized upon reproductive and endocrine protective efficacy of quercetin against their abnormalities. Changes in serum hormones, biochemical reactions, histopathological structures, behavioral changes etc. are occurred by toxicants and these are neutralized with the help of quercetin supplementation. Among flavonoids, quercetin has medicinal importance and potential antioxidant properties by affecting the activity and level of generated free radicals. The present review article summarized the data obtained from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus which highlighted the antioxidant properties of bioactive flavonoids quercetin and its mechanism of action against free radicals and oxidative stress. The data of previous study also supporting the different kinds of toxicants inducing complications by free radical generation.

Keywords: Quercetin, Oxidative stress, ROS, Endocrine system, Reproductive system.