Ononin is an
isoflavone Isoflavones are substituted derivatives of isoflavone, a type of naturally occurring isoflavonoids, many of which act as phytoestrogens in mammals. Isoflavones are produced almost exclusively by the members of the bean family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae) ...
glycoside, the 7-''O''-β-
D-glucopyranoside of
formononetin
Formononetin is an O-methylated isoflavone.
Natural occurrences
Formononetin is found in a number of plants and herbs such as red clover. Along with other phytoestrogens, it predominantly occurs in leguminous plants and Fabaceae, particularly i ...
, which in turn is the 4'-''O''-methoxy derivative of the parent isoflavone
daidzein
Daidzein (7-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one) is a naturally occurring compound found exclusively in soybeans and other legumes and structurally belongs to a class of compounds known as isoflavones. Daidzein and other isoflavones ar ...
.
Natural sources
Ononin is a major isoflavone found in a number of plants and herbs like
soybean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu a ...
and
Glycyrrhiza uralensis
''Glycyrrhiza uralensis'', also known as Chinese liquorice, is a flowering plant native to Asia. It is used as a sweetener and in traditional Chinese medicine.
Traditional uses
Liquorice root, or 'radix glycyrrhizae', is one of the 50 fundam ...
.
Pharmacokinetics
Intestinal bacterial metabolic pathways may include demethylation and deglycosylation. It follows that formation of formononetin and/or daidzein is possible.
Pharmacodynamics
An ''
in vitro
''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called " test-tube experiments", these studies in biology ...
'' anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation has been demonstrated in one study.
References
{{Isoflavone
O-methylated isoflavones
Isoflavone glucosides