FLAVONES AND THEIR DERIVATIVES: SYNTHETIC AND PHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

Flavones (from the Latin flavus, which means “yellow”) are a kind of flavonoid with a backbone of 2-phenylchromen-4-one. Flavones, one of the most important classes of plant secondary metabolites, are well-known for their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-osteoporatic, anti-diabetic, anti-estrogenic, anti-allergic, and metal chelating properties. These family compounds have been intensively studied synthetically due to their wide spectrum of biological actions, and more than 4000 chemically distinct flavonoids have been identified from plants. However, new advances in synthetic chemistry have resulted in the production of a number of therapeutically important derivatives. This article summarizes the synthesis of flavones, their derivatives, and other flavone analogues which have the potential for treating a range of illnesses and ailments.