As we mentioned before, rutin is a flavonoid compound widely found in plants and has a variety of biological activities. The following is an overview of the potential of rutin in different biological activities:
1. Antidiabetic activity: Rutin shows antidiabetic potential by improving insulin resistance and reducing blood sugar levels.
2. Antioxidant activity: As a natural antioxidant, rutin can neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, thus playing a role in preventing a variety of diseases.
3. Anti-inflammatory activity: Rutin has anti-inflammatory properties and can fight against the inflammatory process and reduce the production of inflammatory mediators, which is beneficial for preventing inflammation and degeneration.
4. Antitumor activity: Studies have shown that rutin has antitumor activity and can inhibit the growth of tumor cells through mechanisms such as regulating the cell cycle, inhibiting angiogenesis and promoting apoptosis.
5. Neuroprotective effect: Rutin can cross the blood-brain barrier and reduce neural damage by inhibiting apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress.
6. Other biological activities: In addition to the above activities, rutin also has a wide range of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, renal protection, hepatoprotection and reducing the activity of Aβ oligomers.
The biological activity of rutin is attributed to its chemical structure, especially its phenolic and glycosidic hydroxyl groups, which are involved in a variety of biological reactions. However, its poor water solubility and low bioavailability limit its clinical application. In order to improve its solubility and bioavailability, researchers have synthesized a variety of rutin derivatives through structural modifications such as etherification, esterification, carbonyl substitution and quercetin ring modification, which have shown improved solubility and biological activity.