Editorial
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. May 15, 2011; 3(5): 71-74
Published online May 15, 2011. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v3.i5.71
Emerging role of bioflavonoids in gastroenterology: Especially their effects on intestinal neoplasia
Harald P Hoensch, Reinhard Oertel
Harald P Hoensch, Marien-Hospital, Private Practice of Internal Medicine, Martinspfad 72, D-64285 Darmstadt, Germany
Reinhard Oertel, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Technical University of Dresden, Fiedler Str. 27, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Author contributions: Hoensch HP made substantial contributions to the conception and design, drafted the article and provided the final approval of the version to be published; Oertel R acquired the data and did the analysis of serum levels of apigenin.
Supported by A Grant of the University of Dresden from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology
Correspondence to: Harald P Hoensch, MD, Professor, Marien-Hospital, Private Practice of Internal Medicine, Marienhospital Darmstadt, Martinspfad 72, D-64285 Darmstadt, Germany. h.p.hoensch@t-online.de
Telephone: +49-6152-56768 Fax: +49-6152-56742
Received: October 28, 2010
Revised: April 23, 2011
Accepted: April 29, 2011
Published online: May 15, 2011
Abstract

Flavonoids, secondary plant products which could be essential for normal physiology in humans and animals, may be the vitamins of the next century. Flavonoids belong to the polyphenols and possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. Among the various flavonoid species, tea flavonoids such as apigenin (from camomile) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG from green tea) can be used for the prevention of intestinal neoplasia, especially for adenoma and cancer prevention in the gastrointestinal tract. Numerous experimental studies with molecular and biological end points support the therapeutic efficacy of bioflavonoids. Clinical studies with cohorts and case-control trials suggest that flavonoids are effective in tertiary bioprevention but, as yet, there are no controlled randomized clinical trials. Flavonoids can inhibit inflammatory pathways and could be useful for chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Flavonoid deficiency syndromes could be therapeutic targets in the future.

Keywords: Flavonoids; Intestinal neoplasia; Cancer prevention; Apigenin; Epigallocatechin gallate; Inhibition of colon cancer cells