Pharmacokinetic Profile of Phytoestrogens: An Overview

This review brings up regarding the plant derived compounds with estrogenic activity. The authors correctly emphasize the need of foods containing phyto-oestrogens in view of its significant pharmacokinetic profile. This is particularly essential in the light of the current wave of enthusiasm for vegetarian food in general and phyto-oestrogens in particular. Phytoestrogens are plantderived hormone-like diphenolic compounds of dietary origin. These compounds are weakly estrogenic could play a multidirectional health benefits. They are present in the plant as glycosidic conjugates, some of which contain further chemical modifications. In the gastrointestinal tract, the conjugates undergo hydrolysis catalyzed by enzymes in the intestinal wall and by gut bacteria. On entering the systemic circulation, the phytoestrogens may undergo extensive metabolism to other compounds through reactions involving demethylation, methylation, hydroxylation, chlorination, iodination, and nitration. Besides that the review concludes with the discussion of the several factors affecting gut metabolism of phyto-oestrogen.