MOLECULE

Secoisolariciresinol

Secoisolariciresinol belongs to the class of organic compounds known as dibenzylbutanediol lignans, which contain a 2,3-dibenzylbutane-1,4-diol moiety. Secoisolariciresinol is an essentially neutral compound. Its highest known food content (0.3%) is in flaxseed (Linum usitatıssimum) while the water extract of silver fir wood contains more than 5% secoisolariciresinol (PMID: 15877880). It is also present in nettle brew and cannabis plants (PMID: 6991645). Secoisolariciresinol has been detected in sourdoughs, lindens, savoy cabbages, sugar apples, and common grapes, making secoisolariciresinol a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. In the intestine, the gut microflora can form secoisolariciresinol from the secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (also in flaxseed) and it can then be further transformed into the enterolignan enterodiol. Epidemiological studies showed associations between secoisolariciresinol intake and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (PMID: 29101172)..