Flavonoids are naturally occurring compounds, widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, flowers and beverages such as tea and red wine. They are polyphenolic molecules, diverse in chemical structure and biochemical properties.
Flavonoids can occur in nature in the form of aglycone or glycoside – the general formula of these compounds is shown in Figure 1. Having diverse functions, flavonoids have been extensively studied using biochemical, molecular and genetic approaches.1 They have been shown to possess various biological properties, many of which can be related to their antioxidant, free radical scavenging and metal–chelating activities.2,3 The molecular mechanisms underlying effects are the consequences of the chemical heterogeneity and the wide range of pharmacodynamic properties. Flavonoids have been recognised as possessing anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiallergenic and antioxidant activities.4 It has been widely documented that the process of lipid peroxidation can be inhibited by these compounds at the beginning as well as at the termination state. They have been shown to have influence on a wide spectrum of enzymes – what is strictly related to their metalchelating ability, and also on the microvessel system.5,6,7 To sum up, flavonoids are compounds that display significant effects on all human organisms, including the skin.8
Flavonoids and skin care
The skin is one of the most important organs of the body and creates a first line of organism defence against the external environment. Scientific research has confirmed a wide influence of flavonoid compounds on various levels of the skin. The uppermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, is a structure very rich in lipids and other easily oxidisable compounds. In this layer flavonoids can play an efficient role as anti-oxidising agents and free radical scavengers. Their antioxidant properties enable them to influence deeper, epidermal skin layers, preventing UV radiation damage and inhibiting some enzyme functions. In the dermis, the deepest skin layer, flavonoids influence the permeability and fragility of the microvessel system. The valuable features of flavonoids described already makes them priceless for the cosmetic industry. Over the last ten years, extracts containing these compounds have become an integral part of many cosmetic formulations.
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