Vol. 2 (2026): Publicación Continua
Artículos Originales

Lignans: phytoestrogens present in flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) and their benefits tohuman health.

PDF (Inglés)
  • Izsavo Soto-Saravia,
  • Braulio Soto-Cerda
Izsavo Soto-Saravia
Universidad Católica de Temuco
Braulio Soto-Cerda
Universidad Católica de Temuco

Publicado 2026-05-07

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7770/jonraf-v2-art23

Palabras clave

  • Lignans,
  • Phytoestrogens,
  • Antioxidant,
  • Seed,
  • Linum usitatissimum,
  • Health
    • ...Más
    Menos

Derechos de autor 2026 Izsavo Soto-Saravia, Braulio Soto-Cerda (Autor/a)

Creative Commons License

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial 4.0.

Resumen

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimun L.) is a multipurpose oil crop valued for containing various beneficial functional ingredients. Lignans are a type of phytoestrogen that mostly exists as secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) in seed coat. SDG is transformed into different lignans in conjunction with bacterial glucosidase. This revision, therefore, documents the composition of the lignans present in flaxseed hull and its positive effect on human health. This state of art examines from the metabolic pathway involved in lignans synthesis and their mechanisms of joining with ER estrogen receptors to induce a response in humans. It also analyses the effects of ingestion of flaxseed on human beings. Finally, lignans intervene in gene transduction in conjunction with ER by stimulating positive responses to human vital functions. Overall, the extensive evidence supporting lignans benefits to human health should increase flaxseed consumption in global population.

PDF (Inglés)

Descargas

Los datos de descarga todavía no están disponibles.

Referencias

  1. Aagaard MM, Siersbæk R, Mandrup S (2011) Base molecular para la transactivación específica de genes por receptores nucleares. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1812 (8): 824–835.
  2. Adlercreutz H, Fotsis T, Bannwart C. Wakala K, Makela T, Brunow G (1986). Determination of urinary lignans and phytoestrogen metabolites, potential antiestrogens and anticarcinogens, in urine of women on various habitual diets. J Steroid Biochem. 25: 791-797.
  3. Arao Y, Koraj KS (2018) "El dominio F del receptor de estrógeno α está implicado en la transactivación mediada por tamoxifeno, específica de cada especie”. J Biol Chem. 293: 8495–8507.
  4. Babu US, Wiesenfeld PW (2003) Nutritional and Hematological Effects of Flaxseed. In: Thompson, L.U.; Cunanne, S.C. (ed.). Flaxseed in Human Nutrition. 2nd edn., Champaign, Illinois AOCS Press. pp. 150-173.
  5. Barvkar VT, Pardeshi VC, Kale SM, Kadoo NY, Gupta VS (2012) Phylogenomic analysis of UDP glycosyltransferase 1 multigene family in Linum usitatissimum identified genes with varied expression patterns. BMC Genomics. 13:175.
  6. Best y Taylor. Bases Fisiológicas de la práctica médica. 11a edición, p 997. Argentina: Panamericana.
  7. Boccardo F, Lunardi G, Guglielmini P, Parodi M, Murialdo R, Schettini G. (2004). Serum enterolactone levels and the risk of breast cancer in women with palpable cysts. Eur J Cancer; 40: 84-89.
  8. Boerjan, W., Ralp, J. Y Baucher, M. (2003). Lignin biosynthesis. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 54.519-546.
  9. Bootic (2023) Linaza 400mg x 60 cápsulas - Knop Laboratorios®. Farmacias Knop. https://www.farmaciasknop.com/products/linaza-400mg-x-60-capsulas-knop-laboratorios.
  10. Caputi L, Malnoy M, Goremykin V, Nikiforova S, Martens S (2012) A genome-wide phylogenetic reconstruction of family 1 UDP-glycosyltransferases revealed the expansion of the family during the adaptation of plants to life on land. Plant J. 69:1030–1042.
  11. Chiechi LM, (1999). Dietary phytoestrogens in the prevention of long-term postmenopausal diseases. Int J Gynaecol Obstet; 67: 39-40.
  12. Cuevas, Z, Sangronis E. (2012) Caracterización de semillas de linaza (Linum usitatissimum L.) cultivadas en Venezuela. Archivos Latinoamericanos De Nutrición. 62:192-200.
  13. Daun JK. Barthet VJ, Chornick TL, Duguid S (2003) Structure, composition, and variety development of flaxseed. In: Thompson LU; Cunanne SC (eds.). Flaxseed in Human Nutrition. 2nd ed. Champaign, Illinois. AOCS Press. pp. 1-40.
  14. Davin LB, Lewis NG (2000) Dirigent proteins and dirigent sites explain the mystery of specificity of radical precursor coupling and lignan and lignin biosynthesis. Plant physiol. 123:453-461.
  15. Davin LB, Wang HB, Crowell AL, Bedgar DL, Martín DM, Sarkanen S (1997) Stereoselective bimolecular phenoxy radical coupling by an auxiliary (dirigent) protein without an active center. Science. 275:362-366.
  16. Demark-Wahnefried W, Polascik TJ, George SL, Switzer BR, Madden JF, Ruffin MT, Snyder DC, Owzar K, Hars V, Albala DM, Walther PJ, Robertson CN, Moul JW, Dunn BK, Brenner D, Minasian L, Stella P, Vollmer RT (2008) La suplementación con linaza (sin restricción de grasas en la dieta) reduce las tasas de proliferación del cáncer de próstata en los hombres antes de la cirugía. Epidemiol del cáncer. Biomarcadores Anterior. 17: 3577–3587.
  17. Demark-Wahnefried W, Price DT, Polascik TJ, Robertson CN, Anderson EE, Paulson DF, Walther PJ, Gannon M, Vollmer RT (2001) Pilot study of dietary fat restriction and flaxseed supplementation in men with prostate cancer before surgery: exploring the effects on hormonal levels, prostate-specific antigen, and histopathologic features. Urology. 58:47–52.
  18. Dunn JF, Nisula BC, Rodbard D. (1981) Transport of steroid hormones: binding of 21 endogenous steroids to both testoterone-binding globulin and corticosteroid-binding globulin in human plasma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 53: 58-68.
  19. Elena K, Katzenellenbogen JA, Katzenellenbogen BS (1998). Determinants of ligand specificity of estrogen receptor-alpha: estrogen versus androgen discrimination. J Biol Chem. 273: 693-699.
  20. Faltas CL, LeBron KA, Holz MK (2020) "Señalización de estrógenos no convencionales en la salud y la enfermedad”. Endocrinología. 161: 1–7.
  21. FAOSTAT (2021) (Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura). https://www.fao.org/faostat/es/#data/QCL (Leído el 18 de mayo del 2023).
  22. Figuerola F, Muñoz O, Estévez AM (2008) La linaza como fuente de compuestos bioactivos para la elaboración de alimentos. Agro Sur. 36:49–58.
  23. Fofana B, Ghose K, Somalraju A, McCallum J, Main D, Deyholos MK (2017) Induced mutagenesis in UGT74S1 gene leads to stable new flax lines with altered secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) profiles. Front Plant Sci. 8:1638.
  24. Food Standard Agency. COT Report- Phytoestrogens and Health. (2003) Available http://www.food.gov.uk/science/ouradvisor/toxicity/COTwg/wg_phyto/
  25. Ford JD, Huang KS, Wang HB, Davin LB, Lewis NG (2001) Biosynthetic pathway to the cancer chemopreventive secoisolariciresinol diglucoside - Hydroxymethyl glutaryl ester-linked lignan oligomers in flax (Linum usitatissimum) seed. J Nat Prod. 64:1388–1397.
  26. Gachon C M M, Langlois-Meurinne M, Saindrenan P (2005) Plant secondary metabolism glycosyltransferases: the emerging functional analysis. Trends Plant Sci. 10:542–549.
  27. Ganong WF (1990) Fisiología Médica. México: El Manual Moderno.
  28. Ghose K, Selvaraj K, McCallum J, Kirby CW, Sweeney-Nixon M, Cloutier SJ (2014) Identification and functional characterization of a flax UDP-glycosyltransferase glucosylating secoisolariciresinol (SECO) into secoisolariciresinol monoglucoside (SMG) and diglucoside (SDG). BMC Plant Biol. 14:82.
  29. Gibson DA, Saunders PT (2012) "Señalización dependiente de estrógenos en los tejidos reproductivos: una función de los receptores de estrógenos y los receptores relacionados con los estrógenos ". Endocrinol de células mol. 348: 361–372.
  30. Hall C, Tulbek MC, Xu Y (2006). Flaxseed. Ad Food Nutr Res. 51:2-99.
  31. Hano C, Martin I, Fliniaux O, Legrand B, Gutierrez L, Arroo RRJ (2006) Pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase gene expression and secoisolariciresinol diglucoside accumulation in developing flax (Linum usitatissimum) seeds. Planta 224:1291–1301.
  32. Hewitt S C, Korach K S (2018) Estrogen receptors: New directions in the new millennium. Endocrine reviews. 39:664–675.
  33. Hewitt SC, Winuthayanon W, Korach KS (2016) Novedades en la acción de los receptores de estrógenos en el aparato reproductor femenino. J Mol Endocrinol. 56: R55-R71.
  34. Jia M, Dahlman-Wright K, Gustafsson J (2015) Receptor de estrógeno alfa y beta en la salud y la enfermedad. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 24:557–68.
  35. Jones P, Vogt T (2001) Glycosyltransferases in secondary plant metabolism: tranquilizers and stimulant controllers. Planta. 213:164–174.
  36. Landete J (2012) Plant and mammalian lignans: A review of source, intake, metabolism, intestinal bacteria and health. Food Res Int. 46:410-424.
  37. Lenis Sanin YY, Gutiérrez Gómez MT, Tarazona Morales AM (2010) Phytoestrogens effects on animal reproduction. Rev Fac Nac Agron Medellín. 63:555-5565.
  38. Levin U (2015) Los receptores de esteroides extranucleares son esenciales para las acciones de las hormonas esteroides. Annu Rev Med. 66: 271–280.
  39. Mackenzie P I, Owens IS, Burchell B, Bock KW, Bairoch A, Belanger A (1997) The UDP glycosyltransferase gene superfamily: recommended nomenclature update based on evolutionary divergence. Pharmacogenetics. 7:255–269.
  40. MacRae WD, Towers G (1984) Biological activities of lignans. Phytochemistry. 23: 1207-20.
  41. Madhusudhan B, Wiesenborn D, Schwarz J, Tostenson K, Gillespie J (2000) A dry mechanical method for concentrating the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside in flaxseed. LWT Food Sci Technol. 33:268–275.
  42. Martín JHJ, Crotty S, Warren PNP (2007) Does an apple a day keep the doctor away because a phytoestrogen a day keeps the virus at bay? A review of the anti-viral properties of phytoestrogens. Phytochemistry. 68:266-74.
  43. Martín ME, Haourigui M, Pelissero C, Benassayag C, Nunez EA (1996) Interactions between phytoestrogens and human sex steroid binding protein. Life Sci. 58: 429-436.
  44. McEwan IJ (2016) La superfamilia de receptores nucleares a los treinta. Met Mol Biol. 443: 3–9.
  45. Meagher LP, Beecher GR. (2000) Assessment of data on the lignan content of foods. J Food Compos Anal. 13: 935-947.
  46. Milder IE, Arts IC, van de Putte B., Venema DP, Hollman PC (2005) Contenido de lignanos de alimentos vegetales holandeses: una base de datos que incluye lariciresinol, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol y matairesinol. Hno J Nutr. 93: 393–402.
  47. Modolo Lv, Xu H (2011) Recent advances in semisynthesis, biosynthesis, biological activities, mode of action, and structure-activity relationship of podophyllotoxins: An update (2008-2010). Mini Rev Med Chem. 11:901-909.
  48. Montano MM, Katezenellenbogen BS (1997) The quinone reductase gene: a unique estrogen receptor-regulated gene that is activated by antiestrogens. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA. 94: 3581-2586.
  49. Morris DH, Vaisey-genserb M (2003) Availability and labeling of flaxseed food, products and supplements. In: Thompson, L. U.; Cunnane S. C. Flaxseed in Human Nutrition. 2nd edn., Champaign, Illinois. AOCS Press. pp. 404-422.
  50. Mousavi Y, Adlercreutz H (1993) Genistein is an effective stimulator of sex hormone-binding globulin production in hepatocarcinoma human liver cancer cells and suppresses proliferation of these cells in culture. Steroids. 58: 301-304.
  51. Muir AD (2006) Flax lignans--analytical methods and how they influence our understanding of biological activity. J AOAC Int. 89:1147-57.
  52. Muir AD, Westcott ND (2003) Flax: the Genus Linum. London: Taylor & Francis. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements – Fatty acids omega-3. (Última revisión 18 de julio del 2023). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-DatosEnEspanol/
  53. Navarro DA (2001) Fitoestrógenos y su utilidad para el tratamiento del síndrome climatérico. Rev cuba endocrinol. 12:128-131.
  54. Nowak W, Jeziorek M (2023) The role of flaxseed in improving human health. Healthcare. 11:395.
  55. Oomah B D, Mazza G (1997) Effect of dehulling on chemical composition and physical properties of flaxseed. LWT Food Sci Technol. 30:135–140.
  56. Oomah BD (2003) Processing of flaxseed fiber, oil, protein, and lignan. In: Thompson, L.U.; Cunnane, S.C. (eds.). Flaxseed in Human Nutrition. 2nd edn., Champaign, Illinois. AOCS Press. pp. 363-386.
  57. Paquette S, Møller B L, Bak S (2003) On the origin of family 1 plant glycosyltransferases. Phytochemistry. 62:399–413.
  58. Patel D, Vaghasiya J, Pancholi S, Paul A (2012) Therapeutic potential of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside: A plant lignan. Int J Pharm Sci and Drag Res. 4:15-18.
  59. Raffaelli B, Hoikkala B, Leppälä E, Wähälä K (2002) Enterolignans. J Chromatogr B. 777: 29-43.
  60. Ross J, Li Y, Lim E-K, Bowles DJ (2001) Higher plant glycosyltransferases. Genome Biol. 2: REVIEWS3004.
  61. Saarinen NM, Tuominen J, Santti R, Pylkkänen L. En: Bromacología: farmacología de los alimentos y sus componentes. Capítulo 1. Yagasaki K., Yamazaki M., editores. Señalización de investigación, Trivandrum; Kerala, India: 2008. pág. 30.
  62. Sadak M (2015) Impacto de las aplicaciones foliares de ácido ascórbico y α-tocoferol en la actividad antioxidante y algunos aspectos bioquímicos de cultivares de lino sometidos a estrés por salinidad. Acta Biol Colomb. 20:209.
  63. Safe S, Kim K (2008) Non-classical genomic estrogen receptor (ER)/specificity protein and ER/activating protein-1 signaling pathways. J Mol Endocrinol. 41: 263–275.
  64. Safe S, Papineni S (2006) The role of xenoestrogenic compounds in the development of breast cancer. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 27:447-54.
  65. Schmidt TJ, Klaes M, Sendker J (2012) Lignans in seeds of Linum species. Phytochemistry. 82: 89–99.
  66. Sentis S, Le Romancer M, Bianchin C, Rostan MC, Corbo L (2005) Sumoylation of the estrogen receptor alpha hinge region regulates its transcriptional activity. Mol Endocrinol. 19: 2671–2684.
  67. Shearer AEH, Davies CGA (2005) Physicochemical properties of freshly baked and stored whole-wheat muffins with and without flaxseed meal. J Food Qual. 28:137-153.
  68. Struijs K (2008) The Lignan Macromolecule from Flaxseed. Structure and Bioconversion of Lignans. Ph.D. thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen.
  69. Struijs K, Vincken J-P, Verhoef R, Van Oostveen-Van Casteren WHM, Voragen AGJ, Gruppen H (2006) The flavonoid herbacetin diglucoside as a constituent of the lignan macromolecule from flaxseed hulls. Phytochemistry. 68:1227–1235.
  70. Suzuki S, Umezawa T (2007) Biosynthesis of lignans and norlignans. J Wood Sci. 53:273–284.
  71. Thompson LU (2003) Analysis and Bioavailability of Lignans. In: Thompson, LU, Cunnane, SC (eds.). Flaxseed in Human Nutrition. 2nd edn, Champaign, Illinois. AOCS Press. pp. 92-116.
  72. Thompson LU, Boucher BA LZ (2006) Phytoestrogen content of foods consumed in Canada, including isoflavones, lignans, and coumestan. Nutr Cancer. 54:184-201.
  73. Thompson LU, Robb P, Serraino M, Cheung F (1991) Mammalian lignan production from various foods. Nutr Cancer. 16.43-52.
  74. Touré A, Xueming X (2010) Flaxseed lignans: source, biosynthesis, metabolism, antioxidant activity, Bio-active components, and health benefits. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 9:261–269.
  75. Umezawa T, Yamamoto E, Lewis N G (1990) Lignan biosynthesis in forsythia species. J Chem Soc Chem Commun. 20:1405–1408.
  76. Wanasundara PKJPD, Shahidi F (2003) Flaxseed Proteins: Potential Food Applications and Process-Induced Changes. In: Thompson, L.U.; Cunnane, S.C. (eds.). Flaxseed in Human Nutrition. 2nd edn. Champaign, Illinois. AOCS Press. pp. 387-403.
  77. Wang J, Hou B (2009) Glycosyltransferases: key players involved in the modification of plant secondary metabolites. Front. Biol. China 4:39–46.
  78. Wang LQ (2002) Mammalian phytoestrogens: enterodiol and enterolactone. J Chromatogr B. 777:289-309.
  79. Weber M, Patlar B, Ramm S (2020) Effects of two seminal fluid transcripts on post‐mating behaviour in the simultaneously hermaphroditic flatworm Macrostomum lignano. J Evol Biol. 33:714-726.
  80. Wiesenborn D, Tostenson K, Kangas N (2003) Continuous abrasive method for mechanically fractionating flaxseed. J Am Oil Chem Soc. 80:295–300.
  81. Winer EP, Hudis C, Burstein HJ, Wolff AC, Pritchard KI, Ingle JN, Somerfield MR (2005) American society of clinical oncology technology assessment on the use of aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer: Status report 2004. J Clin Oncol. 23:619–629.
  82. Witte S, Moco S, Vervoort J, Matern U, Martens S (2009) Recombinant expression and functional characterisation of regiospecificflavonoid glucosyltransferases from Hieracium pilosella L. Planta 229:1135–1146.
  83. Wu AH, Yu MC, Tseng CC, Pike MC (2008) Epidemiología de la exposición a la soja y riesgo de cáncer de mama. Br J Cancer. 98: 9–14.
  84. Yang CS, Landau JM, Huang MT, Newmark HL (2001) Inhibition of carcinogenesis by dietary polyphenolic compounds. Annu Rev Nutr. 21:381-406.