FLAVONOIDS ARE NATURALLY OCCURRING ANTOXIDANTS THAT ARE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IN PLANTS. PREPARATIONS CONTAINING NATURAL OR SEMISYNTHETIC FLAVONOIDS ARE THOUGHT TO IMPROVE CAPILLARY FUNCTION BY REDUCING ABNORMAL LEAKAGE. THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO RELIEVE CAPILLARY IMPAIRMENT AND VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY OF THE LOWER LIMBS, AND FOR HAEMORRHOIDS.
IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT FLAVONOIDS PRESENT IN SOME FOODS, SUCH AS FRUIT, VEGETABLES, TEA, AND RED WINE MAY PROTECT AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS