Purpose: Flavonoids with two to five hydroxy groups, with or without sugar, and/or methoxy groups were studied on their effects to affect ocular blood flow. Methods: Colored microsphere technique
was used to determine the ocular blood flow in rabbit eyes. Results: Flavonoids with three free hydroxy (OH) groups seemed to produce the optimal effects in increasing ocular blood flow (naringenin
and hesperitin, Pfalts and Bauer, Waterbury, CT). Whether the OH groups are below three (naringenin, hesperitin, Pfalts and Bauer, Waterbury, CT) or above four (Quercetin, Pfalts and Bauer, Waterbury, CT),
they produced no effects on the ocular blood flow. When OH groups are four (rutin, Aldrich, Milwaukee, WI), it produced mixed effects on ocular blood flow. The attachment of rutinose and/or methoxy group
in the structure did not affect the ocular blood flow one way or the other. Conclusion: The ocular blood flow is increased significantly by the number of OH group in the molecule, with three the
best to increase the ocular blood flow.
