Gossypetin is a flavonol, a type of flavonoid. It has been isolated from the flowers and the calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa (roselle) and exhibits a strong antibacterial activity. The enzyme 8-hydroxyquercetin 8-O-methyltransferase uses S-adenosyl methionine and gossypetin to produce S-adenosylhomocysteine and 3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxy-8-methoxyflavone. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that are present in plants. They have been shown to possess a variety of biological activities at non-toxic concentrations in organisms. Galangin, a member of the flavonol class of flavonoid, is present in high concentrations in medicinal plants and propolis, a natural beehive product. Results from in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that galangin with anti-oxidative and free radical scavenging activities is capable of modulating enzyme activities and suppressing the genotoxicity of chemicals. These activities will be discussed in this review.
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