Female hop cones are used extensively in the brewing industry, but there is now increasing interest in possible uses of hops for non-brewing purposes, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. Among pharmaceutically important compounds from hops are flavonoids, having proven anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and estrogenic effects. In this review we aim to present current knowledge on the biotransformation of flavonoids from hop cones with respect to products, catalysis and conversion. A list of microbial enzymatic reactions associated with gastrointestinal microbiota is presented. A comparative analysis of the biological activities of hop flavonoids and their biotransformation products is described, indicating where further research has potential for applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

Department of Biotechnology Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Technická 5 166 28 Prague 6 Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

Therapeutic Perspectives of 8-Prenylnaringenin, a Potent Phytoestrogen from Hops

Hop Phytochemicals and Their Potential Role in Metabolic Syndrome Prevention and Therapy