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EntityQ908865· pop 13· linked from 588 articles

coumestrol

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Also known as Chrysanthin, 3,9-dihydroxycoumestan, 5,14-dihydroxy-8,17-dioxatetracyclo[8.7.0.0^{2,7}.0^{11,16}]heptadeca-1(10),2,4,6,11,13,15-heptaen-9-one, 3,9-Dihydroxy-6H-[1]benzofuro[3,2-c]chromen-6-one, Cumoesterol

Coumestrol is a natural organic compound in the class of phytochemicals known as coumestans. Coumestrol was first identified as a compound with estrogenic properties by E. M. Bickoff in ladino clover and alfalfa in 1957. It has garnered research interest because of its estrogenic activity and prevalence in some foods, including soybeans, brussels sprouts, spinach and a variety of legumes. The highest concentrations of coumestrol are found in clover, Kala Chana (a type of chick pea), and Alfalfa sprouts.

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Vinony's link graph records 588 inbound references to coumestrol, and connects out to DDT, soybean and apoptotic process.

Vinony files it under 3α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitors, Aromatase inhibitors and Chemical articles with multiple compound IDs.

Vinony links it to 12 Wikipedia language editions.

Wikidata facts

Mass
268.037
Show 3 more facts
chemical formula
C₁₅H₈O₅
canonical SMILES
C1=CC2=C(C=C1O)OC3=C2C(=O)OC4=C3C=CC(=C4)O
Commons category
Coumestrol
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via Wikidata · CC0

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Encyclopedic overview

12 sections
Contents
  • Natural sources and dietary intake
  • Biological effects on mammals
  • Nervous system
  • Reproductive system
  • Skeletal system
  • Genotoxicity
  • Metabolism
  • Menopause
  • Breast cancer
  • Current and future research
  • References
  • Further reading

Coumestrol is a natural organic compound in the class of phytochemicals known as coumestans. Coumestrol was first identified as a compound with estrogenic properties by E. M. Bickoff in ladino clover and alfalfa in 1957. It has garnered research interest because of its estrogenic activity and prevalence in some foods, including soybeans, brussels sprouts, spinach and a variety of legumes. The highest concentrations of coumestrol are found in clover, Kala Chana (a type of chick pea), and Alfalfa sprouts.

Coumestrol is a phytoestrogen, mimicking the biological activity of estrogens. Phytoestrogens are able to pass through cell membranes due to their low molecular weight and stable structure, and they are able to interact with the enzymes and receptors of cells. Coumestrol binds to the ERα and ERβ with similar affinity to that of estradiol (94% and 185% of the relative binding affinity of estradiol at the ERα and ERβ, respectively), although the estrogenic activity of coumestrol at both receptors is much less than that of estradiol. In any case, coumestrol has estrogenic activity that is 30 to 100 times greater than that of isoflavones.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “coumestrol” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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