folium extract in the management of COVID-19 The potential role of Ginkgo biloba L.Exploring flavonols in the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication.These areas are susceptible to neurodegeneration. Flavonoids can cross the blood-brain barrier and have been located in areas important for memory and learning such as the hippocampus, cerebellum, cerebral cortex and the striatum.
Through this interaction, flavonoids counteract neuronal injury which is the underlying cause of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Flavonoids interact with the pathways involved in neural survival, long-term potentiation (LTP) and memory.įlavonoids interact with signaling proteins that are essential for pro-survival pathways. The neurobiological effects of flavonoids are mediated by several actions including their ability to protect vulnerable neurons, stimulate regeneration and enhance neural function. Increasing evidence supports the neurocognitive enhancement and neuroprotective benefits of cocoa. Another source of flavonoids, though in a lower concentration, is chocolate.Įpidemiological studies have suggested that flavonoids are associated with several cognitive benefits such as the decreased risk of cognitive decline and dementia and a lowered risk of cognitive impairment. Cocoa beans are one of the richest sources of flavonoids, in particular, the flavanols subclass in the form of epicatechin and catechin. With age-related cognitive decline becoming a major health issue, scientists are becoming more aware of the modulating effects of food constituents on human health and have begun to explore a particular kind of plant metabolites called flavonoids. Image Credit: iprachenko / Shutterstock What are Flavonoids? Raw cocoa beans, clay bowl with cocoa powder, chocolate on sacking.