THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF A FLAVONOID (VITAMIN “P”) COMPOUND 12

Abstract

A flavonoid preparation from citrus fruit, containing 4 identified flavonoids, was tested experimentally and clinically for biological activity. Ten mg./ kg. body wt. administered to rabbits 20 min. before subcutaneous injection of 3 mg. of leukotaxine inhibited wholly or in part the effect of this inflammatory exudate on capillary permeability; 10 mg./100 g. body wt. protected to a considerable degree the capillary system of August rat carcinoma and of the adrenal gland of the cancerous rats against the toxic effect of 0.5 mg. of bacterial polysaccharide; and 5 mg. fed to rats for 30 days, 5 days prior to and 25 days after radiation, gave considerable but not complete protection against a total body, near lethal dose of X-ray radiation. Mortality rate in a group of 40 irradiated rats so treated was reduced to 10%, as against 80% in 40 irradiated, but untreated control rats. In 92 human cancer patients subjected to deep X-ray therapy and given the flavonoid preparation orally for 5 days prior to exposure and during the entire period of radiotherapy (300-600 mg./day), there was considerable diminution in radiation erythema of the skin and in some cases none at all. Nausea and vomiting, however, persisted in some of the treated patients.