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Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Biosynthesis of a Flavonol from a Flavanone by Establishing a One-pot Bienzymatic Cascade
Published on: August 14, 2019
The genus Genista L.: A rich source of bioactive flavonoids
Maria-Eleni Grafakou1, Christina Barda1, Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou1
1Department of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece.
Abstract:
The genus Genista L. (family Fabaceae, subfamily Papilionoideae), with its cosmopolitan distribution, has attracted the human interest since ancient times, as it is used in folk medicine and mainly in the Mediterranean area for the treatment of respiratory diseases, rheumatic disorders, diabetes and ulcer, while it is also well known for its yellow pigment. The chemical composition of the Genista species revealed the presence of more than 108 flavonoids. Isoflavones, belonging to the group of phytoestrogens, are important secondary metabolites of the genus. The extracts of the Genista species may act as important source of bioactive phytochemicals for the treatment of many human ailments, mainly inflammation and pain, estrogen related pathology, hyperglycaemia, cancer and microbial infections. Therefore, the present review summarizes and discusses the flavonoid derivatives from the genus Genista, together with their structural features and pharmacological properties, aiming to highlight the recent advances in current knowledge on Genista species as a source of bioactive flavonoids.
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