Isoorientin (homoorientin) is a flavone, a chemical flavonoid-like compound. It is the luteolin-6-C-glucoside.
Natural occurrence Isoorientin can be isolated from the passion flower, Vitex negundo, Terminalia myriocarpa, the Açaí palm, and Swertia japonica.
Potential pharmacology Isoorientin has been studied for its potential pharmacological activity. Bioassay-directed fractionation techniques led to isolation of isoorientin as the main hypoglycaemic component in Gentiana olivieri.Hypoglycaemic activity of Gentiana olivieri and isolation of the active constituent through bioassay- directed fractionation techniques. Ekrem Sezik, Mustafa Aslan, Erdem Yesilada, Shigeru Ito, Life Sciences, 28 January 2005, Volume 76, Issue 11, Pages 1223–1238, Studies also showed that isoorientin is a potential neuroprotective compound against Alzheimer's disease.
Metabolism The enzyme isoorientin 3'-O-methyltransferase converts isoorientin to isoscoparin in a methylation reaction using the cofactor, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM):
See also Orientin, the 8-C glucoside of luteolin.
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