Vasorelaxant and antioxidant activity of the isoflavone metabolite equol in carotid and cerebral arteries

Equol possesses substantial vasodilator and weak antioxidant activity in cerebral arteries, with similar activity to daidzein, whereas in hypertension the vasorelaxant response to equol, but not daidzein, is preserved. However, daidzein possesses comparable direct vascular effects with equol, without the need for intestinal conversion to equol. Nevertheless, equol may represent a more useful therapeutic agent during cerebral vascular disease.