Currently, natural bioactive ingredients and/or raw materials are of significant interest to scientists around the world. Flavonoids and other polyphenols are a major group of phytochemicals that have been researched and noted as bioactive molecules. They offer several pharmacological and medical benefits. This current review aims to (1) illustrate their benefits for human health, such as antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and UV-protective effects, and also (2) to perform a quality evaluation of traditional medicines for future application. Consequently, keywords were searched on Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed so as to search for related publications. Then, those publications were carefully checked in order to find current and non-redundant studies that matched the objective of this review. According to this review, researchers worldwide are very interested in discovering the potential of flavonoids and other polyphenols, used in traditional medicines and taken from medicinal plants, in relation to medical and pharmaceutical applications. Many studies focus on the health benefits of flavonoids and other polyphenols have been tested using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models. However, few studies have been carried out using clinical trials that have trustworthy subject sizes and are in accordance with clinical practice guidelines. Additionally, interesting research directions and perspectives for future studies are highlighted in this work.

Flavonoids and other phenolic constituents are a large group of plant metabolites that have long attracted interest from researchers worldwide due to their functions in plant physiology, as well as their huge number of benefits for human health and well-being. This review attempts to reveal a promising view of the major physiological roles of flavonoids and other phenolic phytochemical molecules, e.g., protection agents against UV damage, pathogen defense agents, detoxifying agents, and agents promoting pollen fertility and successful pollination. Besides, the value of both flavonoids and other phenolic phytochemicals for plant species delimitation was also emphasized for the first time with the determination of their major physiological roles. Furthermore, their medical benefits for mankind were also highlighted in this current work.

Currently, nutraceuticals and functional food/cosmeceutical sectors are seeking natural molecules to develop various types of phytopharmaceutical products. Flavonoids have been reported in antioxidant and many medical/pharmacological activities. Monochoria angustifolia or Siam violet pearl medicinal plant is the newest species of the genus Monochoria C. Presl, which have long been consumed as food and herbal medicines. Though previous work showed that apigenin-7-O-glucoside is the most abundant antioxidant phytochemical found in this medicinal plant, the report on anti-aging activity is still lacking and needs to be filled in. The objective of this work is to explore anti-aging capacities of the most abundant antioxidant phytochemical reported in this plant using both in silico and in vitro assessments. In addition, pharmacokinetic properties were predicted. Interestingly, the results from both in silico and in vitro analysis showed a similar trend that apigenin-7-O-glucoside is a potential anti-aging agent against three enzymes. The pharmacokinetic properties, such as adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET), of this compound are also provided in this work. The current study is also the first report on anti-aging properties of this Thai medicinal plant. However, the safety and efficacy of future developed products from this compound and clinical study should be determined in the future.

Therasakvichya S, et al. J Gynecol Oncol. 2016 May;27(5):e48. https://doi.org/10.3802/jgo.2016.27.e48

This study explored histopathological outcomes among women who tested positive for high‐risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV), examined the significance of extended HPV genotyping, and identified predictors of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2 ⁺ ). This retrospective review assessed medical records of women who screened positive for hrHPV between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023. Genotyping results, diagnostic procedures, and histopathological findings were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Among 1981 women, the median age was 40 years (IQR 32.0‒49.0), and the median parity was 1 (IQR 0‒2). Overall, 1223 women (61.7%) had prior screening, 1215 women (61.3%) had previous cytology, and 107 women (5.4%) had prior hrHPV testing. Single‐genotype infection occurred in 1408 women (74.7%), with HPV52, HPV16, and HPV58 identified in 23.7%, 15.6%, and 15.4% of cases, respectively. CIN2 ⁺ was detected in 152 women (7.7%), including 130 with CIN2/CIN3/AIS and 22 with cancer. Detection of HPV16 significantly increased the risk of CIN2 ⁺ (odds ratio [OR] 4.534, 95% CI: 3.197‒6.430), as did multiparity (OR 1.497, 95% CI: 1.070‒2.094). The immediate risk of CIN2 ⁺ for HPV31, HPV39, HPV56, HPV66, and HPV68 was below 4%. Among hrHPV‐positive women, 7.7% had CIN2 ⁺ . Extended hrHPV genotyping may refine risk stratification by highlighting HPV16 and multiparity as significant predictors of CIN2 ⁺ lesions.