Bioactive Flavonoids: A Comprehensive Review on Pharmacokinetics and Analytical Aspects

Flavonoids are a diversified group of natural substances which were discovered to provide a variety of health benefits in human beings. Vegetables, fruits, wine and tea are the primary flavonoid dietary sources for humans and as the flavonoids are so closely connected to human dietary items and health, it is vital to explore the structural-activity connection. The arrangement, replacement of functional groups, and total number of hydroxyl groups around flavonoid's nucleus structure affect their biological activity, metabolism, and bioavailability. Various flavonoids have been proven to have hepatoprotective properties, that help in the prevention of coronary heart disease. Similarly, these flavonoids also possess anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. Flavonoids have been found to have a functional and structural link with their enzyme inhibitory action, that appears to have antiviral effect through acting as antioxidants, damaging cell membranes, blocking enzymes, activating mechanisms of host self-defense, and limiting virus penetration and attaching to cells. Identification, characterization, isolation, and biological role of flavonoids, as well as their uses on health advantages, are all major topics in research and development currently. This review represents a summary of various sources of flavonoids, class, subclass, their chemical structures, biological activities, the pharmacokinetics of flavonoids and various analytical, bioanalytical and electrochemical methods for determination of flavonoids from different matrices.

Quantum chemical calculation of NIR spectra of practical materials

In the third issue of the series on modern quantum chemical methods in the support role of NIR spectroscopy we continue to introduce the researchers from the field of experimental spectroscopy to practical aspects and applications of modern anharmonic theoretical approaches. The first two issues focused on explaining the necessary theoretical and practical background, allowing readers to get more familiar with the topic. An overview of recent literature reports highlighted the advantages stemming from using quantum chemical calculation in the support role to NIR spectroscopy. These deliberations were based on several cases of small- to medium-sized molecules. This part overviews the topic of applications of quantum theoretical methods to complex molecules with practical significance, which typically prove to be challenging objects for theoretical studies. An exemplary application of presented methodology to the case of Rosmarini folium biological samples is also examined here. The rosemary specific active compound, rosmarinic acid, is a relatively complex polyphenol with growing phytopharmaceutical importance, and therefore provides an excellent object of applied studies. The possibilities of combining the information stemming from quantum chemical calculation with the methods of advanced spectral data analysis, which are commonly used in experimental NIR spectroscopy (chemometrics, two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectra) are also overviewed. Again, these deliberations are based directly on the most recent reports published in the field.