Flavonoids are polyphenol antioxidants that can be found in plants, herbs and other aliments. They have been documented as cancer preventive agents and are very useful active constituents of herbs and plants responsible for many of the beneficial properties exerted by those ones, as for example their anti-aging effect (Ginkgo biloba, Calendula...etc.) and their free radical scavenging action (antioxidant), preventing cancer occurrence...etc.

Flavonoids also exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties, being also able to decrease capillary fragility [3], but what is more important, a study by Susan Steck of the Arnol School of Public Health shows that they can have an even more important function as Flavonoids may lower the risk of highly aggressive prostate cancer occurrence. Image: Fruit at North Market in Columbus, OH. by Lisa Sinclair under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Myrciaria cauliflora, a plant native to Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil also known by its common names Brazilian Grape Tree, Jabotica, Guaperu, Guapuru, Hivapuru, Sabará and Ybapuru is a fruit tree that displays very colourful salmon-colored leaves that turn green when it matures [1].

Myrciaria cauliflora produces dark colored fruits, rich in phenolic compounds, among which we can highlight the anthocyanins [2]. Anthocyanins are the most abundant type of flavonoid [4] and they are responsible for the blue or purple colour present in blueberries, cherries, grapes, blackberries and others[5]. Actually a little bit more than 500 anthocyanins have been found [6] in different herbs, plants and natural sources. Image left: Jaboticabas (2008) by Malcolm Manners under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

In pomegranate for example anthocyanins are the only fatty acid that is believed to play an important role in the health benefits exerted by this fruit (apart from the  polyphenolic content found on it and more specifically punicalagins, punicalins, gallagic acid, and ellagic acid that act as powerful antioxidants).

MYRCIARIA CAULIFLORA

Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Myrciaria
Common name: Brazilian Grape Tree, Jabotica, Guaperu, Guapuru, Hivapuru, Sabará, Uva de árbol, and Ybapuru [1,3].

Several are the factors for which male population suffer from Erectile dysfunction (ED), among some of them we can cite obesity, stress, hormonal levels, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, oxidative stress...etc. This last one, Oxidative stress has been demonstrated to have a direct link with the occurrence of erectile dysfunction [1].

Recent studies on the subject suggest that there is a direct link between dietary intake of antioxidant and a lower incidence of erectile dysfunction.

FRAGARIA ANANASSA

Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Fragaria
Common name: Strawberry

Flavonoids are polyphenol antioxidants that can be found in plants, herbs and other aliments. They function as powerful antioxidants having a very important role in our metabolism and believed to have certain anti-cancer properties, but how many different types of flavonoids exist and where can we find them?

Quercetin is believed to have several benefits for the human body, among which we can mention the anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and antioxidant. Quercetin has indeed about four times the antioxidant properties of Vitamin C.