Chrysin

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Clinical Studies
References


The main reason that Chrysin is included in Total Balance Men’s Plus is for its ability to act as an inhibitor in the aromatization of androstenedione and testosterone to estrogen and estradiol.  It accomplishes this by competitively binding with the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the conversion of the hormones.

The net result is to naturally increase levels of testosterone in the body.

Chrysin is a flavonoid that occurs naturally in plants such as the passionflower, silver linden, some geranium species and in honey and bee propolis. Athletes are interested in Chrysin for bodybuilding due to its potential effect on testosterone levels.

Researchers are also interested in Chrysin due to several potential anticancer properties. Chrysin seems to increase glucuronidation, which might reduce the bioavailability of dietary carcinogens. Chrysin might also might inhibit cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and 1A2 (CYP1A2), which could prevent activation of potentially carcinogenic food-derived heterocyclic aromatic amines.

 

 

Published clinical studiescst


Effects of chronic chrysin treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats.1

Villar IC, Jimenez R, Galisteo M, Garcia-Saura MF, Zarzuelo A, Duarte J.

Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.

The effects of an oral daily dose (20 mg kg(-1)) of the flavonoid chrysin for 6 weeks in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were analysed. Chrysin reduces SHR elevated blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy and functional vascular changes, but is without effect in WKY. These protective effects were associated with a reduced oxidative status due to the antioxidant properties of the drug.

Publication Types:
 Letter

PMID: 12357404 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Antioxidant and prooxidant effects of phenolics on pancreatic beta-cells in vitro.2

Lapidot T, Walker MD, Kanner J.

Department of Food Science, ARO Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.

A number of natural phenolic compounds display antioxidant and cell protective effects in cell culture models, yet in some studies show prooxidant and cytotoxic effects. Pancreatic beta-cells have been reported to exhibit particular sensitivity to oxidative stress, a factor that may contribute to the impaired beta-cell function characteristic of diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine the potential of natural phenolics to protect cultured pancreatic beta-cells (betaTC1 and HIT) from H(2)O(2) oxidative stress. Exposure of cells to H(2)O(2) led to significant proliferation inhibition. Contrary to what one should expect, simultaneous exposure to H(2)O(2) and the phenolics, quercetin (10-100 microM), catechin (50-500 microM), or ascorbic acid (100-1000 microM), led to amplification of proliferation inhibition. At higher concentrations, these compounds inhibited proliferation, even in the absence of added H(2)O(2). This prooxidant effect is attributable to the generation of H(2)O(2) through interaction of the added phenolic compounds with as yet undefined componenets of the culture media. On the other hand, inclusion of metmyoglobin (30 microM) in the culture medium significantly reduced the prooxidant impact of the phenolics. Under these conditions, quercetin and catechin significantly protected the cells against oxidative stress when these components were present during the stress period. Furthermore, significant cell protection was observed upon preincubation of cells with chrysin, quercetin, catechin, or caffeic acid (50 microM, each) prior to application of oxidative stress. It is concluded that provided artifactual prooxidant effects are avoided, preincubation of beta-cells with relatively hydrophobic natural phenolics can confer protection against oxidative stress.

PMID: 12452635 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Beneficial effects of chrysin and benzoflavone on virility in 2-year-old male rats.3

Dhawan K, Kumar S, Sharma A.

Pharmacognosy Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.

This work describes the potential usefulness of bioflavonoids for countering the deleterious effects of aging on male sexuality in 2-year-old rats. A flavone chrysin from Passiflora caerulea Linn. and a benzoflavone moiety (BZF) recently isolated from Passiflora incarnata Linn. were administered to 2-year-old male rats for a period of 30 days. After cessation of these treatments, there was a significant improvement in overall sexual functions in the rats given bioflavonoids, compared with control rats. The rats receiving chrysin (1 mg/kg) and BZF (10 mg/kg) exhibited increased libido when they were allowed to interact with nonestrous female rats. Additionally, both treated groups had increased sperm count, greater fertilization potential, and greater litter size when they were allowed to interact with proven proestrous female rats of a similar strain. BZF was more potent than chrysin as an antiaromatase agent and exhibited better effects on the sexual system of the 2-year-old male rats. Plant flavonoids have great potential for clinical and therapeutic applications against the physiological and biochemical effects of aging.

PMID: 12511112 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Effect of flavone derivatives on interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) mRNA expression and IL-1beta protein synthesis in stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.4

Blonska M, Czuba ZP, Krol W.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze-Rokitnica, Poland.

It is known that the redox status of cells affects gene expression. Flavones, as natural antioxidants, efficiently modulate this status and may play a role in the regulation of inducible gene expression of inflammatory mediators. This study was designed to investigate the effect of five flavone derivatives variously substituted with hydroxyl groups (chrysin, galangin, kaempferol, quercetin and myricetin) on interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) gene expression in stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The cells were incubated with tested hydroxyflavones and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Then, the following were estimated: the level of IL-1beta mRNA in these cells and the concentration of IL-1beta protein in cell-culture supernatants and cell lysates. Each of the tested compounds significantly decreased IL-1beta mRNA expression. The most potent inhibitor was chrysin (hydroxyflavone with two hydroxyl groups and a weak antioxidant activity). The effects of galangin and kaempferol were similar. Myricetin (hydroxyflavone with a strong antioxidant activity) significantly decreased the level of IL-1beta mRNA, but it had no effect on the IL-1beta protein synthesis. The results indicated that hydroxyflavones could modulate the IL-1beta gene expression in activated RAW 264.7 macrophages via inhibiting gene transcription. This action seems unlikely to be the result of antioxidant properties of tested compounds.

PMID: 12588662 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Referencesr

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