Effects of flavonoids on the vascular endothelium: What is known and what is next?

Epidemiological studies suggest that the daily dietary intake of avonoids bene- cially affects human cardiovascular health (Arts and Hollman 2005; Hooper et al. 2008). Interestingly, most attention has concentrated on the vascular effects of avonoids from soy and cocoa (Hooper et al. 2008), and almost all epidemiologic studies regarding avonoids have originated from the Netherlands, Finland, and the United States (Arts and Hollman 2005). In this chapter, we will focus on the effects of the avonoid subclasses avanones, avones, avonols, and isoavones on the vascular endothelium. Information on the effect of avan-3-ols are provided in Chapter 13. The food items in the diet responsible for the intake of avonoids are well characterized (USDA 2003; Neveu et al. 2010). However, the explanation for the functional effects of avonoids on vascular endothelium has changed signicantly over time. These changes, rather than being merely the result of scientic dynamics, are rather the consequence of epistemological paradigm shifts with regards to their health effects, as initial concepts (e.g., on radical scavenging properties of the avonoids) are abandoned, and other more physiological concepts come in investigation.