Beneficiary and Adverse Effects of Phytoestrogens: A Potential Constituent of Plant-based Diet

Abstract

Background: Phytoestrogens are non-endocrine, non-steroidal secondary derivatives of plants and consumed through a plant-based diet also named as "dietary estrogens". The major sources of phytoestrogens are soy and soy-based foods, flaxseed, chickpeas, green beans, dairy products, etc. The dietary inclusion of phytoestrogen based foods plays a crucial role in the maintenance of metabolic syndrome cluster, including obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, postmenopausal ailments and their complications. In recent days, phytoestrogens are the preferred molecules for hormone replacement therapy. On the other hand, they act as endocrine disruptors via estrogen receptor-mediated pathways. These effects are not restricted to adult males or females and identified even in development.

Objective: Since phytoestrogenic occurrence is high at daily meals for most people worldwide, they focused to study for its beneficiary effects towards developing pharmaceutical drugs for treating various metabolic disorders by observing endocrine disruption.

Conclusion: The present review emphasizes the pros and cons of phytoestrogens on human health, which may help to direct the pharmaceutical industry to produce various phytoestrongen based drugs against various metabolic disorders.

Keywords: Phytoestrogens; anti-cancer; anti-diabetic; anti-obesity; anti-oxidants; diet; endocrine disruption.