Tiny chemical changes in flavonoids in the diet have a very large impact on human immune system

When testing the effects of plant natural products on the human immune system, very small chemical changes in the flavonoids in the diet can have a very large effect. Plants can make tens of thousands of different small molecules - such as average leaves, yielding about 20,000. Many of these are found in typical diets and are known to have medicinal properties that have an impact on health, disease and general health. Now, plant biologists and immunologists have studied closely related families of these small molecules (flavonoids) to determine how small changes in their chemical structure affect their biological activity.

Plants can make tens of thousands of different small molecules - such as average leaves, yielding about 20,000. Many of these are found in typical diets and are known to have medicinal properties that have an impact on health, disease and general health.

Now, plant biologists and immunologists in York have joined forces to study closely related families of these small molecules (flavonoids) to determine how small changes in their chemical structure affect their biological activity.

The study, published in the Journal of Biochemistry, is important for the development of new drugs for diet and plant natural products.

Researchers from the Center for New Agricultural Products (CNAP) and the University of Biomedical Immunology and Infection Center (CII) designed experiments to test the biological activity of plant-derived flavonoids.

Prof. Dianna Bowles, a plant biochemist and founding director of CNAP, led the study of Professor CII Director Paul Kaye, who developed a powerful detection system involving human cells to assess the effects of different structures.

Professor Bowers attended a panel discussion on