Flavonoids are naturally occurring secondary metabolic products that can have important functions within plants and benefit consumers with health and healing properties. Similar to terpenes, flavonoids share a role in how we perceive cannabis through our senses. Flavonoids are not unique to the cannabis plant. They have been identified in nature, from flowers to fruits and vegetables. Researchers have started to investigate the potential therapeutic properties of individual cannabis flavonoids.
Many beneficial compounds are metabolites produced as an end product of chemical and biological processes. Metabolites are small molecules that have many functions including defense, pigments, pheromones, odorants, and catalysts. Primary metabolites are necessary for growth, development and reproduction. Flavonoids are secondary plant, algae or fungus metabolites composed of polyphenolic compounds. Secondary metabolites are not directly involved in critical processes but have secondary functions involving defense and pigmentation. We offer analytical standards for flavonoid analysis.