Flavonoids in Medicinal Chemistry: Trends and Future Directions

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 August 2025) | Viewed by 1154

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Flavonoids are widely distributed natural products with diverse structures that demonstrate biological activities in plants and benefit human health as protective dietary agents. Inspired by this, their chemical study has always attracted the interest of chemists working in the area of Natural Products, Synthetic Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry. As a result, research on natural and synthetic flavonoids has yielded numerous promising hits and leads for drug discovery.

The goal of this Special Issue is to offer original research papers or pertinent updates to the existing literature on current advances in the study of bioactive flavonoids. This will include identifying new hit and lead compounds and studying their biological potential and mechanism of action.

This Special Issue seeks to provide both information on recent achievements and new perspectives on bioactive natural flavonoids and synthetic analogues for drug discovery. Original articles, short communications, as well as reviews of studies on this topic are welcome.

Dr. Honorina Cidade
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • flavonoids
  • synthesis
  • natural products
  • medicinal chemistry
  • biological activity

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

24 pages, 729 KB  
Review
Targeting Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Pathophysiology with Flavonoids: From Adipokine–Cytokine Crosstalk to Insulin Resistance and Reproductive Dysfunctions
by Sulagna Dutta, Pallav Sengupta, Sowmya Rao, Ghada Elsayed Elgarawany, Antony Vincent Samrot, Israel Maldonado Rosas and Shubhadeep Roychoudhury
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(10), 1575; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18101575 - 18 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents one of the most prevalent endocrine–metabolic disorder in women of reproductive age, which includes but not restricted to reproductive disruptions, insulin resistance (IR), hyperandrogenism, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Its heterogeneous pathophysiology arises from the interplay of metabolic, endocrine, [...] Read more.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents one of the most prevalent endocrine–metabolic disorder in women of reproductive age, which includes but not restricted to reproductive disruptions, insulin resistance (IR), hyperandrogenism, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Its heterogeneous pathophysiology arises from the interplay of metabolic, endocrine, and immune factors, including dysregulated adipokine secretion, cytokine-mediated inflammation, oxidative stress (OS), and mitochondrial dysfunction. Current pharmacological therapies, such as metformin, clomiphene, and oral contraceptives, often provide partial benefits and are limited by side effects, necessitating the exploration of safer, multi-target strategies. Flavonoids, a structurally diverse class of plant-derived polyphenols, have gained attention as promising therapeutic candidates in PCOS due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, and hormone-modulating properties. Preclinical studies in rodent PCOS models consistently demonstrate improvements in insulin sensitivity, normalization of ovarian morphology, restoration of ovulation, and reduction in hyperandrogenism. Human clinical studies, though limited in scale and heterogeneity, report favorable effects of flavonoids such as quercetin, isoflavones, and catechins on glucose metabolism, adipokine balance, inflammatory markers, and reproductive functions. This evidence-based study critically synthesizes mechanistic insights into how flavonoids modulate insulin signaling, adipokine–cytokine crosstalk, OS, and androgen excess, while highlighting translational evidence and emerging delivery systems aimed at overcoming bioavailability barriers. Collectively, flavonoids represent a promising class of nutraceuticals and adjuncts to conventional therapies, offering an integrative strategy for the management of PCOS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flavonoids in Medicinal Chemistry: Trends and Future Directions)
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