Flavonoids in foods represent a major subgroup of secondary plant compounds with a broad spectrum of attributed biochemical properties. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was used to elucidate the structure-function relationship of four related flavonoids with respect to their effects on stress-resistance and lifespan in the animals. There were modest effects with a lifespan extension and an increased stress-resistance that could be related to the antioxidant actions of the compounds. Various mechanisms were eluted by which the compounds could exert these effects and moreover, the bioavailability, a requirement for effectiveness, was determined.
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