THE MOLECULAR SYMPHONY OF FLAVONOIDS: DECODING THEIR ROLE IN ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL NETWORKS

Flavonoids constitute a diverse family of plant-derived polyphenolic compounds characterized by an ordinary C6-C3-C6 backbone and are widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, grains, and medicinal plants.These phytochemicals have attracted considerable scientific interest due to their broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and cardioprotective effects.This review synthesizes current knowledge on flavonoid classification, biosynthetic pathways, metabolism, and pharmacokinetics, with particular emphasis on major subclasses, including flavones, flavonols, flavanones, isoflavones, flavanols, anthocyanins, and chalcones, as well as their natural sources.Mechanistic perspectives highlight their capacity to scavenge reactive oxygen species, chelate pro-oxidant metal ions, modulate redoxsensitive signaling pathways (including Nrf2 and NF-κB), inhibit key metabolic enzymes, and interact with gut microbiota to generate bioactive metabolites.Recent advances in flavonoid-based nutraceuticals, pharmaceutical applications, and nanocarrier-mediated delivery systems are also discussed.Despite promising preclinical evidence, challenges related to low bioavailability, metabolic instability, and incomplete structure-activity relationships remain.This review identifies critical research gaps and outlines future directions for translating flavonoid biology into clinically and industrially viable interventions.