Molecular mechanisms of anticancerogenous activity of flavonoids

Abstract

Uvriježeno je mišljenje da nutrijenti koji potječu iz voća i povrća sa svojim antioksidativnim djelovanjem pomažu u borbi protiv raka i kardiovaskularnih bolesti, kao i kod starenja. Flavonoidi su zasigurno najpoznatija, ali još uvijek nedovoljno istražena skupina prirodnih spojeva s pozitivnim učinkom na ljudski organizam. Nalaze se u namirnicama koje svakodnevno koristimo u prehrani, nesvjesni njihovog blagotvornog djelovanja. Ovaj rad je imao tri cilja: prvi je bio rasvijetliti procese koji se događaju na molekularnoj razini, u samoj stanici, nakon što unesemo neki od tih spojeva u organizam. Rak se često naziva bolešću modernog doba, budući da je u današnje, vrlo stresno doba, puno učestaliji nego u prošlosti, tako da je drugi cilj bio pojasniti djelovanje ovih biljnih metabolita na tumorske stanice. Treći i zadnji cilj je popularizacija i upoznavanje s alternativnim metodama (jer se „pravilna prehrana“ još uvijek smatraju takvom) kojima se možemo boriti protiv raka.It is widely believed that nutrients from fruit and vegetables, with their antioxidant activity, help in struggle with cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as well as ageing. Flavonoids are, for sure, the most recognizable, but still not enough researched group of natural compounds with positive effect on human organism. They can be found in victuals which we use in everyday life, unaware of their good effect. This work had three goals: first one was to enlight processes which happen on a molecular level, in a cell, after we take some of those compounds. Cancer is often called a modern disease, since it is today, in a very stressful age, more frequent than it used to be in the past. Thus the second goal was to clear the effect of these plant metabolites, on tumor cells. Third and the last goal was to popularize and present alternative methods (because proper diet is still considered like that) with which we can fight against cancer