Quercetin (3,3’,4’,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) belongs to an extensive class of polyphenolic flavonoid compounds almost ubiquitous in plants and plant food sources. It possesses higher free-radical scavenging properties than (+)-catechin and has been shown to be one of the most effective flavonoids for the preservation of endogenous R-tocopherol in LDL cholesterol.
Quercetin is a unique bioflavonoid was first discovered by Nobel Prize laureate Albert Szent Gyorgyi in the year 1930. Quercetin’s name derives from the Latin word “Quercetum”, which means Oak Forest, and also belongs to the flavonol category, which is not produced in the human body.
This compound is also found in various food products and plants, including fruits, seeds, vegetables, tea, coffee, bracken fern, and natural dyes.
Quercetin provides many health promoting benefits, including improvement of cardiovascular health, eye diseases, allergic disorders, arthritis, reducing risk for cancers and many more. Several studies demonstrated that quercetin has a significant role in inhibition of breast, colon, prostate, ovary, endometrium, and lung tumor cancer cells.
Quercetin in cocoa
