title: Flavonoids in the therapy and prophylaxis of flu: a patent review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Influenza viruses are common agents of flu outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics that have occurred through the centuries. Prevention and control of flu are of great clinical importance, since they cause serious damage to health, with a consequent impact on quality of life and economy of a country. Resistance against the current drugs justifies the development of new anti-influenza molecules. Flavonoids exhibit significant activity against flu through their anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. The profile of these molecules makes them particularly promising as therapeutic agents against flu.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review focus on the activity of flavonoids on different influenza virus targets as well as their use in patented pharmaceutical formulations. Twenty-one patents of these compounds for prophylaxis and treatment of influenza infection are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009 resulted in a significant increase in the number of patents claiming pharmaceutical formulations for prophylaxis and treatment of flu. The research advances on flavonoids showing anti-influenza activity and the efforts made by researchers and industries consolidate the interest on new alternatives for the therapy of an infectious disease that represents a serious public health problem throughout the world.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa de Produtos Naturais, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. sscbh@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Sônia S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: José Nelson S S
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Couceiro
authors.forename: Isabel Cristina V
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: David do C
authors.initials: Ddo C
authors.lastname: Malvar
authors.forename: Marcela A S
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Luiza Maria M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Michelle F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Muzitano
authors.forename: Frederico A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Vanderlinde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055808:Drug Discovery; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010330:Patents as Topic; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005419:Flavonoids