Flavonoids effect on autoimmune diseases

Autoimune bolesti su bolesti u kojima organizam umjesto napadanja stranih antigena napada vlastite. Jako su raznolike, imaju složene mehanizme nastanka i čimbenike koje utječu na njih. Općenito se mogu podijeliti na organospecifične i organonespecifične, ovisno o broju napadnutih organa. Njihovo liječenje danas se uglavnom bazira na općoj imunosupresiji koja reducira simptome, ali ne liječi bolest. Osim toga, ima negativne nuspojave jer inhibiraju i zdravi imunosni odgovor. Potreban je učinkovitiji i specifičniji način liječenja. Flavonoidi su skupina fenolnih spojeva iz biljaka koji su se pokazali učinkovitima u njihovom liječenju. U ovom radu su obrađene autoimune bolesti i flavonoidi kao mogući spojevi u obradi autoimunih bolesti. Mnoga istraživanja su dokazala pozitivan učinak flavonoida na autoimunost što znači da bi se mogli koristiti kao terapija, a i putem prehrane kao prevencija.Autoimmune diseases are diseases that develop when immune system attacks its own cells (autoantigen) instead of foreign antigen. They are very heterogeneous, have complicated mechanisms of development and factors that affect them. Diseases can be divided in organspecific and systemic, depending on number of attacked organs. The treatment of autoimmune diseases is based on immunosuppression, which reduces the symptoms, but it doesn't cure the disease. Besides, this medication has negative side effects because it also decreases normal immune response. More efficient and specific treatment is needed. Flavonoids are group of polyphenolic compounds from plants, and they seem to be effective in treatment of autoimmunity. In this work, the most important facts about autoimmune diseases are shown, together with flavonoids as possible treatment. Many studies have proven positive effects of flavonoids on autoimunity which means they could be used as a treatment, but also as a prevention, in diet