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Secoisolariciresinol

Preliminary
Plant lignan (dibenzylbutanediol)

Mechanism of Action

Secoisolariciresinol (SECO) is a plant lignan that undergoes gut microbiome-dependent conversion to the mammalian lignans enterolactone (ENL) and enterodiol (END) via demethylation and dehydroxylation by colonic bacteria including Clostridium and Lactonifactor species. Enterolactone and enterodiol competitively bind SHBG with low-to-moderate affinity, displacing sex steroids from the carrier protein. They also exhibit weak estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) binding activity (partial agonist/antagonist depending on estrogen milieu) and inhibit aromatase activity, reducing local estrogen synthesis in adipose and prostatic stroma. Anti-proliferative effects on human prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, PC-3) have been documented in vitro.

Research Notes

Nettle RootWestern

Preclinical studies show SECO and its metabolites reduce DHT-stimulated LNCaP prostate cancer cell proliferation by 20–40% at physiologically achievable concentrations. Epidemiological data associating high urinary enterolactone excretion with reduced prostate cancer risk support a population-level chemopreventive hypothesis. Clinical interventional data specific to nettle root-derived lignans are absent; most lignan research focuses on flaxseed as a richer source. Gut microbiome composition significantly governs SECO conversion efficiency, introducing substantial inter-individual pharmacokinetic variability.

Found In 1 Herb

Nettle Root

Nettle Root

Western

3D Molecular Structure

Plant lignan (dibenzylbutanediol)
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Secoisolariciresinol

Plant lignan (dibenzylbutanediol)Plant polyphenols with antioxidant and estrogenic activity

Representative pattern: C₄H₂NO

Atoms
Carbon
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Hydrogen

Live Research

Open on PubMed

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