Isoflavones
Isoflavones are naturally a polyphenolic compound which are naturally found in legumes and are occurring as bioflavonoids. They majorly present in soybeans, peanuts, chickpeas, etc.. that belong to Fabaceae.
TYPES :
genistein, daidzein, and glycinin, while the aglycones are called genistein, daidzein, and glycation.
The soy isoflavones daidzein, glycinin, and genistein were purified from defatted soy flour using preparative-scale reverse-phase HPLC. The stabilities of the three isoflavones at different heating temperatures were investigated. Daidzein, glycinin, and genistein were lost at a rate of 26, 27, and 27% of their original concentration, respectively, after 3 min at 185 °C. At 215 °C, decreases of daidzein, glycinin, and genistein were 65, 98, and 74% after 3 min and 91, 99, and 94% after 15 min, respectively. The order of the thermal stabilities, from lowest to highest, was glycinin, genistein, and daidzein. Acetyl daidzein and acetyl genistein, daidzein, glycation, and genistein were produced during heating at temperatures above 135 °C. The rate of binding of an acetyl group to form acetyl daidzein and acetyl genistein from daidzein and genistein was higher than the rate of loss of a glucoside group to form daidzein and genistein. However, acetyl daidzein and acetyl genistein decreased sharply at temperatures above 200 °C, while daidzein, glycation, and genistein were relatively stable over 30 min. The stability of daidzein was higher than that of glycation or genistein.
Functions :
Isoflavones are subclass of flavonoids, they are also a phytoestrogens in mammals.
Isoflavones act as an antioxidant, and also exhibit anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiosteoporosis, and estrogenic properties.
It induce apoptosis and death of cancer cells
It is considered as a chemoprotective and it is used as an alternative in many hormonal therapies.
In plants it helps in plant and microbial interaction, for example, the rhizobia-legume symbiosis and defense responses