Taxifolin (Dihydroquercetin · Antioxidant · Capillary-strengthening · Hepatoprotective)

Compound	Taxifolin (Dihydroquercetin; DHQ; (+)-Taxifolin; 3,3′,4′,5,7-Pentahydroxyflavanone)
Chemical class	Polyphenol — Flavanonol (Dihydroflavonol; C2-C3 saturated quercetin; quercetin with reduced C-ring double bond)
CAS	480-18-2
Primary source	Larix sibirica (Siberian larch wood — primary commercial source), Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir), Pinus spp.
Key applications	Antioxidant; capillary-strengthening; hepatoprotective; anti-inflammatory; anti-obesity
Claim strength	Moderate
Typical form	Dihydroquercetin (DHQ) extract from Siberian larch wood (pharmaceutical-grade in Russia/Ukraine); taxifolin supplement
Buy from Herbuno	Availability on request — request bulk pricing →

Name origin: Taxifolin is named after Taxus (yew) — it was first isolated from yew tree heartwood — and its structural relationship to flavone (the suffix "-folin" or "-flavonol" being a historical flavonoid naming convention). It is systematically dihydroquercetin — quercetin with the C2-C3 double bond of the C-ring saturated. This places it in the flavanonol (dihydroflavonol) sub-class alongside aromadendrin (dihydrokaempferol) and ampelopsin (dihydromyricetin). Traditional use: Taxifolin does not have strong independent traditional medicinal use as a compound. Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) — the primary commercial source — has been used in Russian Siberian folk medicine for liver protection, general tonic applications, and circulatory support. The Soviet-era pharmaceutical development of taxifolin from Siberian larch by Russian phytochemists established it as a pharmaceutical ingredient in Russia and former Soviet states, where it is sold as Dihydroquercetin under the brands Flafit® and others for antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and cardiovascular applications. Research trajectory: Taxifolin has a more developed Russian clinical evidence base than most Western supplement-familiar polyphenols, given its pharmaceutical status in Russia. Evidence includes antioxidant, hepatoprotective, capillary-strengthening, anti-atherosclerotic, and anti-diabetic activities from multiple controlled studies — though many are of moderate methodological quality by Western RCT standards. Commercial source: Taxifolin standardised extract from Siberian larch is not currently available in the Herbuno catalogue at product-specific level; availability on request.

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Evidence for Taxifolin Applications

Antioxidant activity: Taxifolin's catechol B-ring (3′,4′-dihydroxy) and free C-ring hydroxyl at C-3 (not present in flavanones such as naringenin) give it high radical scavenging capacity approaching quercetin's. In comparative ORAC and FRAP assays, taxifolin performs at 70–90% of quercetin's antioxidant activity — a higher proportion than most flavanones, explained by the C-3 hydroxyl restoration. Metal chelation (iron, copper) via the catechol B-ring is efficient. Claim strength: Moderate.

Capillary-strengthening and cardiovascular: Russian controlled studies have demonstrated taxifolin's capacity to reduce capillary permeability, improve microcirculatory parameters, and reduce atherosclerotic plaque development in high-cardiovascular-risk patients. The mechanism involves capillary wall collagen stabilisation (analogous to OPC procyanidins) and platelet aggregation inhibition. EHK-controlled studies in Russia for CVI and retinopathy have shown improvements in capillary fragility and visual function. Claim strength: Moderate.

Hepatoprotective: Taxifolin demonstrates hepatoprotective activity in CCl₄-induced liver injury models comparable to silymarin (milk thistle silybin) in some comparative studies. Mechanism involves Nrf2/HO-1 pathway induction, antioxidant enzyme (SOD, catalase, GPx) upregulation, and direct radical scavenging in hepatocytes. Russian clinical studies in alcoholic liver disease and NAFLD have shown improvement in liver enzyme profiles with taxifolin supplementation. Claim strength: Moderate.

Anti-obesity and metabolic: Taxifolin activates AMPK in adipocyte and hepatocyte models, reducing lipogenesis and increasing fatty acid oxidation. In high-fat diet rodent studies, taxifolin reduces weight gain, visceral fat, and insulin resistance. NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition in adipose tissue reduces obesity-associated inflammation. Claim strength: Emerging.

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Dosage & Formulator Specification

Russian pharmaceutical preparations (Dihydroquercetin/Flafit®) are used at 100–200 mg/day taxifolin for cardiovascular and hepatoprotective applications — the most directly applicable human dosing reference. Higher doses (400–600 mg/day) have been used in some Russian metabolic studies. Western supplement formulations typically provide 100–500 mg/day.

Siberian larch wood taxifolin extract (typically ≥90–98% taxifolin by HPLC) is the commercial standard — a clean, high-purity material from a renewable forestry by-product (larch sawmill waste). The extraction process (aqueous/ethanol extraction from sawdust) is well-established in Russian industrial chemistry. Phytosome® or phospholipid-complexed taxifolin preparations improve oral bioavailability 3–5-fold above plain extract.

Taxifolin is poorly water-soluble in its raw form; aqueous solubility ~0.5 mg/mL at 25°C. Microencapsulation, co-crystallisation with cyclodextrins, or nanoparticle formulation significantly improve dissolution. For beverage applications, taxifolin sodium salt or cyclodextrin complex is used. Stable in dry powder form; susceptible to oxidation in aqueous solution at alkaline pH. Ascorbic acid co-formulation provides antioxidant protection during shelf life.

No clinically significant drug interactions are documented for taxifolin at supplement doses. Theoretical antiplatelet interaction with anticoagulant therapy applies (monitor at high doses). Taxifolin is generally well-tolerated in Russian safety studies spanning decades of pharmaceutical use at up to 300 mg/day.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Taxifolin

How does taxifolin compare to quercetin structurally and pharmacologically?
Taxifolin is quercetin with the C2-C3 double bond of the flavone C-ring saturated — producing the flavanonol (dihydroflavonol) scaffold versus quercetin's flavonol. This saturation removes the planar conjugation across the C-ring and slightly reduces some receptor binding affinities that require a flat flavone/flavonol geometry. However, taxifolin's free C-3 hydroxyl (unlike flavanones such as naringenin) restores significant antioxidant and enzyme interaction capacity. Taxifolin has better oral bioavailability than quercetin in some comparative PK studies, attributed to its slightly different glucuronidation/sulphation pattern. Both are effective antioxidants with overlapping anti-inflammatory profiles.

Why is taxifolin a pharmaceutical ingredient in Russia but a supplement ingredient in the West?
Russia has a distinct pharmaceutical regulatory pathway for plant-derived compounds with extensive ethnobotanical or traditional use history — particularly those from Soviet-era phytochemistry programmes. Taxifolin from Siberian larch was developed as a pharmaceutical in the Soviet Union and registered as Dihydroquercetin/Flafit® with clinical evidence meeting Russian pharmaceutical standards. In Western markets (EU, US), taxifolin has not undergone the same pharmaceutical development pathway and is sold as a food supplement or nutraceutical. The underlying clinical evidence base is similar; the regulatory categorisation reflects different national frameworks rather than fundamentally different evidence quality.

Is Siberian larch a sustainable commercial source of taxifolin?
Yes — Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) is one of the most abundant tree species in Russia (covering ~650 million hectares across Siberia and the Far East). Taxifolin is extracted from larch sawdust — a forestry by-product — making it a renewable, low-environmental-impact ingredient. The sustainable by-product sourcing and the vast larch forest resource base support long-term commercial supply stability for taxifolin as a supplement ingredient.

Can taxifolin be combined with other flavanonols (aromadendrin, ampelopsin) in a supplement formula?
Yes — taxifolin (dihydroquercetin), aromadendrin (dihydrokaempferol), and ampelopsin (dihydromyricetin) form a complementary flavanonol trio with overlapping antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms but distinct receptor selectivity profiles. Taxifolin's catechol B-ring (3′,4′-OH) gives stronger radical scavenging and iron chelation; aromadendrin's 4′-OH gives cleaner COX inhibition; ampelopsin's pyrogallol B-ring (3′,4′,5′-OH) gives the highest radical scavenging and unique alcohol metabolism acceleration. The combination covers a broad mechanistic spectrum for antioxidant and hepatoprotective formulas.

Related compounds: Aromadendrin, Ampelopsin, Quercetin, Procyanidins

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Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.

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