A lesser-known flavonoid is the focus of cell research
For many of us, sunshine is one of the best things about summer. However, intense UV radiation also means extra work for our bodies.
UV radiation can increase the formation of reactive oxygen species in our cells.1 These compounds are also produced during normal metabolic processes and are not inherently harmful. In controlled amounts, they perform important functions, such as communication between our cells. Our body therefore has its own antioxidant defense systems that help keep these processes in balance.
The key is balance. If more reactive compounds are produced over a longer period than our protective systems can compensate for, this balance shifts. We call this oxidative stress – a topic that becomes particularly relevant in summer because intense UV radiation can intensify oxidative processes.1
This raises an intriguing question: What protective role can secondary plant compounds play in this complex interplay?
Of particular interest are so-called flavonoids. Within this large group of substances, the hitherto much less well-known representative is gaining attention. Taxifolin increasingly coming into focus.
Taxifolin – from larch to research
Taxifolin, also called dihydroquercetin, is chemically closely related to the well-known quercetin. Smaller amounts are found in onions, apples, and various citrus fruits, among other things. However, the wood of certain conifers, such as the Dahurian larch, is particularly rich in taxifolin.²
What makes taxifolin so interesting lies in its chemical structure. This allows the flavonoid to interact with reactive molecules. For precisely this reason, taxifolin has been increasingly studied in connection with oxidative stress, cell protection, and inflammation-related processes for several years.³
And some of the results are quite remarkable.
What happens when oxidative stress reaches the cell?
In a 2020 study, scientists worked with human endothelial cells – the cells that line the inside of our blood vessels.⁴
These cells were deliberately exposed to oxidative stress. The changes that occurred when taxifolin was added were then investigated.
Taxifolin demonstrated a clear protective effect. Inflammatory signaling pathways were attenuated, cell damage processes were favorably influenced, and the stress-induced adhesion of immune cells to endothelial cells was reduced.⁴
The results thus suggest that taxifolin can help to mitigate cellular damage and inflammatory responses under these experimental conditions.⁴
Less oxidative DNA damage
Another study using human blood cells went a step further.⁵
The cells were deliberately exposed to oxidative stress using hydrogen peroxide – a stress that can lead to damage to DNA.
Taxifolin significantly reduced the number of cells with oxidatively induced DNA damage. This effect was observed at all taxifolin concentrations tested.⁵
Particularly interesting: Even after oxidative stress had already occurred, the measured DNA damage decreased more significantly under taxifolin than in the corresponding control cells.⁵
Of course, this is an examination conducted outside the human body.However, it very clearly demonstrates why taxifolin is so scientifically interesting in connection with oxidative cell stress and the protection of sensitive cell structures.
From cell to human
In 2023, taxifolin was finally investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in healthy young adults.⁶
The participants received either taxifolin-containing foods or a placebo at different times, without knowing which variant they were receiving.
Subsequently, cognitive performance, subjectively perceived mental fatigue, and changes in gene activity in the blood were among the factors examined.
After taking taxifolin, participants performed better on certain arithmetic tasks and experienced less mental fatigue than after taking the placebo.⁶
At the same time, changes in gene activity were observed. Among other things, the expression of genes associated with the processing and elimination of foreign substances, as well as parts of the innate immune response, increased.⁶
This study provides a particularly exciting clue: Taxifolin not only shows interesting antioxidant effects in cell models, but measurable changes were also observed in humans after a single dose.
Taxifolin in the context of a conscious diet
We don't need to prevent oxidative processes. They are a natural part of our bodies and fulfill important functions.
What will be interesting is how well our organism can cope with additional oxidative stress and what role secondary plant compounds can play within a varied diet.
The focus on oxidative balance becomes particularly interesting during phases in which our body is exposed to additional stresses, for example:
- with intense UV exposure during the summer months
- during particularly physically active phases
- under high everyday stress
- when oxidative stress comes more into focus
- when the diet is to be consciously supplemented with secondary plant compounds
Taxifolin is therefore not scientifically interesting because of a single isolated effect.
Its special feature lies rather in the fact that it investigates a fundamental biological topic: how our cells deal with oxidative stress.
And it is precisely there that previous studies are showing interesting signals – from oxidative DNA damage and cellular stress responses to initial findings on mental fatigue in humans.⁴⁻⁶
Sources
[1] Masaki H. Role of antioxidants in the skin: anti-aging effects. Journal of Dermatological Science. 2010;58(2):85–90.
[2] EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on taxifolin-rich extract from Dahurian Larch (Larix gmelinii). EFSA Journal.
[3] Topal F, Nar M, Gocer H, et al. Antioxidant activity of taxifolin: an activity-structure relationship. Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry. 2016;31(4):674–683.
[4] Cao X, et al. A study on the protective effects of taxifolin on human umbilical vein endothelial cells and THP-1 cells damaged by hexavalent chromium: a probable mechanism for preventing cardiovascular disease induced by heavy metals. Food & Function. 2020;11(5):3851–3859.
[5] Živković L, et al. Antigenotoxic Effects of Biochaga and Dihydroquercetin (Taxifolin) on H₂O₂-Induced DNA Damage in Human Whole Blood Cells. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2019.
[6] Shinozaki F, Kamei A, Shimada K, et al. Ingestion of taxifolin-rich foods affects brain activity, mental fatigue, and the whole blood transcriptome in healthy young adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Food & Function. 2023;14:3600–3612.