Abstract

ESTRADA-REYES, Rosa; UBALDO-SUAREZ, Denisse  and  ARAUJO-ESCALONA, Ana Gabriela. Flavonoids and Central Nervous System. Salud Ment [online]. 2012, vol.35, n.5, pp.375-384. ISSN 0185-3325.

The aim of the present study was to show the most relevant aspects of the flavonoids such as their origin, sources, chemical structures, and metabolism in the body human. We offer a brief review about their antiallergic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. This review shows their effects on CNS and evidences their pharmacologic potential in the therapeutics of the mental disorders. Flavonoids may have existed in nature for over 1 billion years and thus have interacted with evolving organisms. These compounds are molecules of low molecular mass, abundant in all berries and citric fruits, chocolate, nuts, red wine, and several medicinal plants. Flavonoids interact with several enzymes responsible for the transport of xenobiotics to the brain, which are considering modifiers of the biological response. Perhaps the most studied have been their anti-oxidant properties, which have met reflected in his capacity to protect to the cells of the oxidative stress, implicated several pathologies associated with aging, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In the last 30 years, a intensive research about the effects of the flavonoids on CNS has been carried out; in this regard, flavonoids have showed effective effects as anxiolytic, antidepressants, and anticonvulsive drugs, and although their actions in the CNS occur through a variety of interactions with different receptors and signaling pathways, it has been demonstrated that these effects are mediated principally by GABA, in particular GABA_A receptors, which these has led them to being postulates as a new benzodiazepines family, but without the side effects of these.

Keywords : Flavonoids; CNS; GABAergic receptors; anxiety; depression; oxidative stress.

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