[Protonophoric and uncoupling activity of water-soluble pea flavonols]

In the experiments with artificial lipid membranes and mitochondria the watersoluble pea flavonols are demonstrated to possess weak protonophoric and uncoupling activities which correlate with each other. It is concluded that the mechanism of flavonol uncoupling activity is the same as for classical uncouplers. The results support the earlier suggestion that one of the flavonol functions in the plants may be the regulation of the energetics and metabolism.