Challenges and perspective

Future research must focus on seamlessly integrating flavonoid biosynthesis, systemic bioavailability and multi-target therapeutic efficacy through a highly rigorous, multi-disciplinary lens. Greater insight into enzymatic regulation and metabolic engineering will be paramount to enable the scalable production of rare flavonoids with optimized, bioactive scaffolds. Additionally, deciphering the precise influence of chemical structural variations, food-processing matrices and the host gut microbiota on absorption remains crucial. Finally, well-designed human studies and improved delivery strategies are needed to validate clinical relevance and enhance the translational potential of flavonoids.