Diosmin

Other Names: Bioflavonoid, Bioflavonoid Complex, Bioflavonoid Concentrate, Bioflavonoid Extract, Bioflavonoïde, Bioflavonoïde d’Agrume, Bioflavonoïdes d’Agrumes, Citrus Bioflavones, Citrus Bioflavonoid, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Citrus Bioflavonoid Extract, Citrus Flavones, Citrus Flavonoids, Complexe de Bioflavonoïde, Concentré de Bioflavonoïde, Diosmetin, Diosmina, Diosmine, Extrait de Bioflavonoïde, Extrait de Bioflavonoïde d’Agrume, Flavonoid, Flavonoïde, Daflon ®
Diosmin is a type of plant chemical found mainly in citrus fruits. People use diosmin to make medicine.
See also :

• Flavonoids
• hesperidin

Special Precautions of Diosmin

• Diosmin is safe for most people when used short-term for up to three months. It can cause some side effects such as stomach and abdominal pain, diarrhea, and headache.
• Do not take diosmin for more than three months without medical supervision.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of diosmin during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Benefits and uses of Diosmin are

• Treating hemorrhoids and preventing recurrence, when used in combination with hesperidin : Several studies indicate that diosmin may be beneficial in the treatment of hemorrhoids. The most recent research includes a study published in the journal Surgeon in 2004. For the study, 268 patients with hemorrhoidal symptoms were treated with diosmin for four weeks. By the study's end, participants showed significant improvement in all symptoms (including pain and bleeding).
• Treating leg ulcers caused by poor circulation, when used in combination with hesperidin.
• Treating swelling of the arms (lymphedema) following surgery for breast cancer, when used in combination with hesperidin.
• Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) : Diosmin may help treat chronic venous insufficiency, according to a study published in the Serbian journal Acta Chirurgica Lugoslavica in 2008. A condition in which the veins do not effectively return blood from the legs to the heart, chronic venous insufficiency is associated with varicose veins, ankle swelling, and nighttime leg cramping.
• High Blood Pressure : Preliminary research suggests that diosmin may help keep blood pressure in check. In a study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology in 2012, for instance, tests on rats determined that treatment with diosmin helped restore normal blood pressure to animals fed a high-salt diet. Since clinical trials have yet to test diosmin's blood-pressure-lowering effects in humans, it's too soon to recommend diosmin for blood pressure control.
• Diabetes : Diosmin shows promise in the treatment of diabetes, according to a preliminary study published in Chemico-Biological Interactions in 2012. In tests on diabetic rats, the study's authors found that diosmin may help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce oxidative stress in patients with diabetes. However, more research is needed to determine whether diosmin can help treat diabetes in humans.

Food Sources

• Citrus fruits, especially lemons, are rich sources of diosmin, according to "Food Chemistry." Lemons produce a number of useful flavonoids, including diosmin, in both the mature fruit and the leaves. Buddha's finger, a type of citron, is also rich in diosmin. According to the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," green Meyer lemons and Buddha's finger fruits contain the highest diosmin levels, especially when treated with hormones during the early growth stages.
• Vetches : Members of the Vicia, or vetch, genus also contain diosmin, including Asian and Caucasian vetch species. Vetches are native to North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, and are related to peas and lentils. According to the "Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal," Caucasian vetch leaves contain 2 percent diosmetin glycosides -- a source of diosmin -- after air drying. Extracting diosmin from these leaves can be complicated, and requires the use of solvents such as alcohol and dimethyl sulfoxide.
• Hyssop : Herb hyssop, also called Hyssopus officinalis and Hyssopus decumbens, is another source of diosmin. This plant is native to Southern Europe and the Middle East, and tends to concentrate its diosmine in the leaves and flower sepals. According to "Planta Medica," hyssop leaves contain 51 percent of the plant's diosmin, while the sepals contain 40.5 percent of this flavanoid. Trace amounts of diosmin may be found in the rest of the herb hyssop plant.