The Phyto-Oestrogens: Its Anticarcinogenic and Antioxidant Activity - A Review

ABSTRACT The isoflavonoids comprise a group ofphytooestrogens that have useful biological activities including oestrogenic, antioxidant and anticancer. As dietary components for humans, they are bioavailable from leguminous vegetables (such as genistein from soybean), and have been welldocumented to have numerous health benefits. A wide range of epidemiological studies in humans and limited studies in animals have identified isoflavonoids as a potential chemopreventive agents against hormone-dependent cancers. Therefore, this review focuses on the mechanisms of isoflavonoid phyto-oestrogens in inhibiting cancer in vitro and in vivo in the models of human cancers. Key word: phyto-oestrogens, oestrogenic properties, antioxidant activity, anticancer activit