What is kaempferol good for?

1. What is Kaempferol?

Kaempferol is a bitter-tasting flavonoid with a yellow hue. Flavonoids are pigments and are part of a diverse group of plant chemicals called polyphenols, found widely across the plant kingdom.

It has several pharmacological properties and therapeutic uses, most notably due to its role as an antioxidant and one of the most active and essential anti-inflammatory compounds. This makes it a promising candidate for many inflammatory medical conditions.

2. Kaempferol Rich Foods

Kaempferol rich foods are primarily vegetables. However, some fruits also contain this ingredient, too.

Using the USDA Food Database, we have compiled data from all the fruits and vegetables that contain information about polyphenol concentration.

We ranked all 63 foods by kaempferol density. In other words, the foods with the highest concentration of this ingredient per calorie are shown below ranked as the orange shaded portion.

We also include the content as mg/100g, shown as green bars for vegetables, blue bars for fruits, and orange bars for nuts.

See a snapshot of our analysis below, or feel free to use our interactive chart ranking the ingredient rich foods, here!

3. What is kaempferol good for?

Anti-cancerous activity of kaempferol

Epidemiological research (cohort studies and case control) shows that consuming foods high in kaempferol may lower the incidence of cancer, such as pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, and ovarian cancer. While few studies have looked at its anti-carcinogenic impact on animal models, many preclinical studies show that this ingredient possesses cancer-preventive and cancer-treatment characteristics.

The most widely accepted theory of carcinogenesis (the somatic mutation theory of cancer) states that DNA mutations cause cancer, and numerous studies have shown that it may shield DNA from damage caused by various carcinogens. It is commonly believed that the development of malignant tumour necessitates the acquisition of various capacities (the supposed biomarkers of tumour), such as apoptotic sensitivity, enhanced angiogenesis, or the ability of metastasis and invasion. Cancerous cells must gain apoptosis resistance to form a tumour, and this can be averted by apoptosis triggered by the ingredient. Solid tumour development can be done by the creation of newly originated blood vessels called angiogenesis without expansion of vessels, tissue tumour volume is limited to diffusion distance of approximately 0.2 mm. Angiogenesis is called to be activated in malignant tumours and it has been discovered to block the new blood vessels in vitro analysis. It is widely acknowledged that the metastatic dissemination of original tumours comprising of roughly 90% of all tumour fatalities, the procedure according to which cells from localized tumour penetrate adjoined tissues and develop metastasis to the distant organs might lead to the most practical procedure linked to carcinogenesis. It  has been shown in studies to suppress this mechanism in vivo and in vitro .

Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of kaempferol

Inflammation is non-specific immune response that happens due to an injury or illness. Under normal settings, the inflammatory response is self-limiting; nevertheless, in some illnesses, the inflammatory response can become uncontrolled, resulting in persistent or chronic inflammatory disorders. Many studies have demonstrated that persistent inflammation caused by oxidative stress may end up in illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological issues. The chronic inflammatory diseases, like Hepatitis B virus infection and Helicobacter pylori infection, have been related to hepatic and gastric carcinomas, respectively. Due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, it has inspired numerous experts to research its molecular processes and possible application in treatment of inflammatory illnesses.

Kaempferol as a modulator of anti-oxidant enzymes

It is an effective free radical and superoxide radical scavenger that reduces microsomal lipid peroxidation. Antioxidant enzymes are essential for neutralising superoxide radicals and free radicals produced by a variety of sources. These enzymes are thought to play an essential part in its impact. According to a study, it may help the alcohol- and PUFA-induced oxidative stress rat liver tissue express more glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and reduced glutathione levels. Furthermore, it can counteract the diethylnitrosamine-induced reduction in mRNA expression and activity of the anti-oxidant enzymes including glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. It may thus be useful in reducing the negative effects of high amounts of the free radicals during inflammatory illnesses. It is being studied for its effects on the glutathione that is tripeptide that is important in detoxification of drugs and can reduce ROS damage. It has been shown in-vitro to ameliorate experimental anti-encephalitis. 

Related products for this article: Kaempferol

Reference:

https://leafwell.com/blog/what-is-kaempferol-everything-to-know-about-it

https://www.intake.health/post/63-kaempferol-rich-foods-ranked

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540105.2023.2265690#d1e344