The term “vitamin P” is an old but interesting concept. Most substances in this category belong to the family of flavonoids. “Vitamin P” has also been used to define the activity of some flavonoids, including quercetin, myricetin, and rutin. According to experimental studies, the “quercetin-like natural plant flavonoids” are beneficial to the body due to their various physiological and pharmacological activities in large doses (5 μM in vitro, 50 mg/kg in mice and 100 mg/kg in rats). The physiologically achievable concentration is 10 to 100 nM, which is quite high and hard to achieve from a normal diet. Thus, the physiologic activity and mechanism of "vitamin P" are still not clear. It should be noted that the quercetin-like natural plant flavonoids are physiological co-factors of cyclooxygenases (COXs), which are the rate-limiting key enzymes of prostaglandins. These quercetin-like natural plant flavonoids can strongly stimulate prostaglandin levels at lower doses (10 nM in vitro and in 0.1 mg/kg in vivo in rats). Although these "vitamin P" substances are not original substances in the body, their physiological functions affect the body. This review is focused on the most compelling evidence regarding the physiologic role and mechanism of quercetin-like natural plant flavonoids, which may be useful in understanding the physiological functions of "vitamin P", with the goal of focusing on the role of flavonoids in human physiological health.

术语“维生素P”是一个古老但有趣的概念。该类别中的大多数物质都属于类黄酮家族。“维生素P”也已用于定义某些类黄酮的活性，包括槲皮素，杨梅素和芦丁。根据实验研究，“槲皮素样天然植物类黄酮”对人体有益，因为它们具有大剂量（体外5μM，小鼠50 mg / kg和大鼠100 mg / kg）的各种生理和药理活性。 。生理上可达到的浓度为10到100 nM，这是很高的，并且很难通过正常饮食获得。因此，“维生素P”的生理活性和机理尚不清楚。应该注意的是，槲皮素样天然植物类黄酮是环氧合酶（COXs）的生理辅助因子，它们是前列腺素的限速关键酶。这些类似槲皮素的天然植物类黄酮可以以较低剂量（体外10 nM，大鼠体内0.1 mg / kg的剂量）强烈刺激前列腺素水平。尽管这些“维生素P”物质不是人体中的原始物质，但它们的生理功能会影响人体。这篇综述的重点是关于类槲皮素天然植物类黄酮的生理作用和机理的最有说服力的证据，该文献可能有助于理解“维生素P”的生理功能，其目的是关注类黄酮在人体中的作用。生理健康。尽管这些“维生素P”物质不是人体中的原始物质，但它们的生理功能会影响人体。这篇综述的重点是关于类槲皮素天然植物类黄酮的生理作用和机理的最有说服力的证据，该文献可能有助于理解“维生素P”的生理功能，其目的是关注类黄酮在人体中的作用。生理健康。尽管这些“维生素P”物质不是人体中的原始物质，但它们的生理功能会影响人体。这篇综述的重点是关于类槲皮素天然植物类黄酮的生理作用和机理的最有说服力的证据，该文献可能有助于理解“维生素P”的生理功能，其目的是关注类黄酮在人体中的作用。生理健康。