Molar mass 686.7 g/mol | ||
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Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is an antioxidant phytoestrogen present in flax, sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds. In food, it can be found in commercial breads containing flaxseed. It is a precursor of mammal lignans which are produced in the colon from chemicals in foods.
Contents
Extraction
Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside can be isolated from de-fatted (hexane extraction) flaxseed by extraction of the lignan polymer precursor with a water/acetone mixture, followed by acetone removal and alkaline hydrolysis.
Or, it can be extracted from the shell of whole flax through a cold-milled process without using chemicals.
Studies on biological effects
Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside slows the growth of human breast cancer in mice.
Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside may play very different role in people with the already existent cancer. In the Grade IV histology group of adult patients diagnosed with malignant glioma, high intake of secoisolariciresinol (for highest tertile compared to lowest tertile, in all cases) was associated with poorer survival. Note however that glioma is located behind the Blood–brain barrier in which larger molecules such as SDG may not penetrate efficiently.
