Rodzaj Trifolium L. (koniczyna) jako nowe źródło fitoskładników o antybiodegeneracyjnych właściwościach

Species belonging to the Trifolium L. (clover) genus, used for centuries in ethnomedicine, nowadays constitute arich source of polyphenolic phytohormones. Chemotaxonomic studies revealed that red-blooming clovers are characterized by a particularly high content of isoflavones. These compounds have estrogen-like activity, therefore they can act like selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). Both epidemiological, preclinical and clinical studies prove their beneficial effects in alleviating numerous mental and neurovegetative symptoms occurring during menopause, as well as in the prevention and treatment of biodegenerative diseases resulting from estrogen deficiency (osteoporosis, atherosclerosis). In the near future, new uses for clover isoflavones may also appear in the fight against some types of neoplastic diseases. Due to the small number of side effects, phytoestrogens occurring in the Trifolium L. genus are considered as an alternative not only to popular soybean products but also to synthetic estrogen mimetics used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT).