Abtract:
The current status of the isolation, identification, biological activity,
utilization and development prospects of flavonoids found in litchi fruit pericarp
(LFP) tissues is reviewed. LFP tissues account for approximately 15% by weight
of the whole fresh fruit and are comprised of significant amount of flavonoids.
The major flavonoids in ripe LFP include flavonols and anthocyanins. The major
flavanols in the LFP are reported to be procyanidin B4, procyanidin B2 and
epicatechin, while cyanindin-3-rutinside, cyanidin-3-glucoside,
quercetin-3-rutinosde and quercetin-3-glucoside are identified as the important
anthocyanins. Litchi flavanols and anthocyanins exhibit good potential
antioxidant activity. The hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion scavenging
activities of procyanidin B2 are greater than those of procyanidin B4 and
epicatechin, while epicatechin has the highest
alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH*) scavenging activity.
In addition to the antioxidant activity, LFP extract displays a dose- and
time-dependent inhibitory effect on human breast cancer, which could be
attributed, in part, to its inhibition of proliferation and induction of
apoptosis in cancer cells through upregulation and down-regulation of multiple
genes. Furthermore, various anticancer activities are observed for epicatechin,
procyanidin B2, procyanidin B4 and the ethyl acetate fraction of LFP tissue
extracts. Procyanidin B4 and the ethyl acetate fraction show a stronger
inhibitory effect on HELF than MCF-7 proliferation, while epicatechin and
procyanidin B2 have lower cytotoxicities towards MCF-7 and HELF than
paclitaxel. It is therefore suggested that flavonoids from LFP might be
potentially useful components for functional foods and/or anti-breast cancer
drugs
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