Antiatherogenic Properties of Naringenin, a Citrus Flavonoid

An inverse association between flavonoid intake and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been suggested by a number of epidemiological studies (42,44,54,78). As a consequence, there is considerable interest in investigating the antiatherogenic nature of these compounds. Flavonoids are naturally occurring molecules abundant in fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beverages, such as tea and wine. Over 4000 different flavonoids have been identified in the human diet, where the daily intake ranges from levels as high as 1 g (59) to a more conservative estimate of 23 mg (43). Flavonoids are characterized by their polyphenolic structure (Fig. 1). Variations in this structure give rise to the major classes of flavonoids, including the flavonols, flavones, flavanones, catechins, anthocyanidins, isoflavones, dihydroflavonols, and chalcones. Naringenin belongs to the class of flavonoids called the flavanones. The flavanones are abundant in citrus fruits such as grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) and the oranges (Citrus sinensis). The role of naringenin and the related citrus flavanone hesperetin in the prevention and treatment of disease has recently received considerable attention (71), with particular interest in the use of these flavanones as anticancer (36) and antiatherogenic (85) compounds. This review focuses on the potential antiatherogenic roles of citrus flavonoids, with particular focus on naringenin.