Comprehensive evaluation of the role of soy and isoflavone supplementation in humans and animals over the past two decades

Abstract

Soy and soy-based foods are considered healthy, particularly in many Asia-Pacific countries, where soy products have long been consumed. Soy and soy-related products have been found to help prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer, such as breast and prostate cancer. These products can also have antioxidative effects that alleviate hot flashes during menopause and bone loss. These biological and therapeutic functions are primarily due to the isoflavones derived from soy, whose structure is similar to the structure of 17-β-oestradiol. Despite the many health benefits for humans and animals, the application of isoflavones remains controversial because of their anti-oestrogenic properties. We focused on general information regarding isoflavones, as well as their structure, function, and application.We summarized evidence showing that dietary or supplemental isoflavones exert protective effects on the health of humans and animals. Based on the literature, we conclude that soy foods and isoflavones may be effective and safe; however, more high-quality trials are needed to fully substantiate their potential use.

Isoflavone biochanin A, a novel nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2)‐antioxidant response element activator, protects against oxidative damage in HepG2 cells

“…Emerging evidence highlights the potential of dietary isoflavones to prevent chronic diseases in which oxidative stress damage play a crucial role . An important result from our study showed that the O ‐methylated isoflavone BCA was a novel Nrf2 activator, and was found to effectively prevent t ‐BHP‐induced oxidative injury in HepG2 cells, as illustrated by cell viability, intracellular ROS, and reduced GSH levels (Figure b–d).…”

Polyphenols: A concise overview on the chemistry, occurrence, and human health

“…Isoflavones, shown in Figure , are biologically active compounds with estrogenic properties and often referred as phytoestrogen (Anandhi Senthilkumar, Fata, & Kennelly, ; Xiao et al, ; Zaheer & Humayoun Akhtar, ). The main representative components are genistein, daidzein, biochanin A, and glycitein.…”

“…Within nutraceuticals (Andrew & Izzo, ; Daliu, Santini, & Novellino, ; Durazzo & Lucarini, ; Santini et al, ; Santini & Novellino, ; Santini & Novellino, ; Santini, Tenore, & Novellino, ), more than 8,000 different phenolics are identified in the plant kingdom and represent one of most numerous and widely distributed class of plant secondary metabolites (Cheynier, Comte, Davies, Lattanzio, & Martens, ; Kabera, Semana, Mussa, & He, ; Santini, Novellino, Armini, & Ritieni, ). Several outstanding reviews on polyphenols have been recently published (Amiot, Riva, & Vinet, ; Bernatoniene & Kopustinskiene, ; Białecka‐Florjańczyk, Fabiszewska, & Zieniuk, ; Clifford, Jaganath, Ludwig, & Crozier, ; Costa et al, ; Durazzo et al, ; Pervaiz, Songtao, Faghihi, Haider, & Fang, ; Roche et al, ; Xiao, Zhang, Tong, & Shi, ; H. Zhang & Tsao, ; Zhao et al, ), and the reader is referred to them for a more in‐depth information. Here, we provide a concise introductory guide for the beginners in order to assist them in their initial entry into the chemistry and pharmacology of polyphenols.…”

Fruit‐based juices: Focus on antioxidant properties—Study approach and update

“…Isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, Biochanin A, and glycitein) are bioactive compounds with mildly estrogenic properties and often referred to as phytoestrogen (Anandhi Senthilkumar, Fata, & Kennelly, ; Xiao, Zhang, Tong, & Shi, ; Zaheer & Humayoun Akhtar, ). The structure backbone of isoflavones is show in Figure .…”