title: Distribution of isoflavones and coumestrol in neglected tropical and subtropical legumes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Isoflavones and coumestrol from dietary legumes are plant constituents showing multiple beneficial effects on humans. Owing to their ability to bind with mammalian estrogenic receptors and thereby intervention in several kinds of hormone-related cancers, they have received much attention. Soybean (Glycine max) is currently the major source of isoflavonoids in human diet. However, dozens of tropical and subtropical leguminous species remain unexplored for their isoflavonoids content.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have analyzed 55 extracts from 41 tropical and subtropical legume species used either in human or animal diet by high-performance liquid chromatography for the content of soy isoflavones, biochanin A, daidzein, daidzin, formononetin, genistein, genistin, sissotrin, ononin and the coumestan coumestrol. Genistein and biochanin A were the most abundant compounds. The highest content of genistein was found in aerial parts of Andira macrothyrsa, seeds of Pachyrhizus tuberosus and aerial parts of Calopogonium mucunoides (598, 250 and 184 µg g(-1), respectively) and biochanin A in aerial parts of Cratylia argentea, C. mucunoides and flowers of A. macrothyrsa (76, 53 and 40 µg g(-1), respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  None of the samples tested was richer overall source of soy isoflavones and coumestrol than soybean; nevertheless several species (C. mucunoides or A. macrothyrsa) may serve as a promising source of individual compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Institute of Tropics and Subtropics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Leuner
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Havlik
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hummelova
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prokudina
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Novy
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kokoska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003375:Coumestrol / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D019833:Genistein / Q000032:analysis; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000032:analysis*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019833:Genistein; C004541:biochanin A; D003375:Coumestrol