Isoflavones: Anti-Inflammatory Benefit and Possible Caveats.
Inflammation, a biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, is also known to be involved in a host of diseases, such as obesity, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancer. Isoflavones are a class of flavonoids that exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Increasing evidence has highlighted the potential for isoflavones to prevent the chronic diseases in which inflammation plays a key role, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Recently, some studies have raised concerns about isoflavones induced negative effects like carcinogenesis, thymic involution, and immunosuppression. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the anti-inflammatory effects of isoflavones, unravel the underlying mechanisms, and present the potential health risks.
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. yujie@sicau.edu.cn.
Jie
J
Yu
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. zsjg214@163.com.
Xiaojuan
X
Bi
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. ybingtian@163.com.
Bing
B
Yu
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. dwchen@sicau.edu.cn.
Daiwen
D
Chen
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D007529:Isoflavones
anti-inflammation; flavonoids; health risks; isoflavones