How do Flavonoids Regain Normal Vitality and Functions of Hepatocytes?
Flavonoids act as antioxidants. They regain normal enzymatic activity within hepatocytes by preventing accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that result as by-product of metabolic activity within the mitochondria (36). Inside theses mitochondria oxidative reduction reactions take place aiming at production of energy in form of ATP by the help of some important enzymes and coenzymes such as ATP synthase, cytochrome c oxidase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD). During these continuous enzymatic reactions small amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) results which threatens to destroy cellular constituents. Some of NAD and FAD deal with these small amounts of ROS to protect cellular contents from destruction (16,23). The rest of NAD and FAD play their role in the process of normal metabolism and energy production inside cells. In diabetes mellitus, abnormal metabolism will result in accumulation of big amounts of ROS needing big amounts
