Please read this message carefully.

Some time ago I read on the internet about flavonoids. These are plant compounds extracted from fruits that have many health benefits, such as possessing antioxidant effects. I read about this compound named diosmin, it's being sold as a supplement for varicose veins. Because of all the positive things I had read about Diosmin I started using it.

Then I never experienced unusual anything yet.

Some months later I started using a high dose of Vitamin C (1000 mg daily). I found out that when I combined it with diosmin it worked wonders for my ADD. I now use 4x450 mg = 1800 mg diosmin a day (or more) and 1000 mg - 3000 mg Vitamin C a day. It really seems to work against ADD, I feel that my concentration dramatically increases and I can follow conversations much better and so on.

I strongly believe that diosmin combined with Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) works against ADD, there is evidence that diosmin inhibits noradrenaline breakdown. I read that noradrenaline is also a neurotransmitter that has much to do with dopamine and that it is also related to ADD:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diosmin

"Diosmin prolongs the vasoconstrictor effect of noradrenaline on the vein wall, increasing venous tone, and therefore reducing venous capacitance, distensibility, and stasis. This increases the venous return and reduces venous hyperpressure present in patients suffering from CVI."

It mentions noradrenaline and the related article shows that this neurotransmitter has much to do with ADD.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noradrenaline

I don't know if it is completely safe (even thought clinical data indicates that diosmin is VERY safe and it does not influence blood pressure like amphetamines do). It can inhibit metabolism of other meds so it shoud not be used along with other meds.

It seems to work even better then the conventional meds (concerta).
It worked so well, that one of these days for the first time of my entire life I could focus on holding a conversation without any difficulties.
At other times, I could easily clean the entire house or cook something without taking frequent breaks. And then there were these moments I felt very quiet in head. Can't be coincidence.

I use 4x450 mg = 1800 mg diosmin a day (or even more) along with 1000 - 3000 mg Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) a day.

I have to inform you that it usually takes 6 hours before this supplement is absorbed in the bloodstream. Because it is very slowly absorbed, this supplement usually starts to work 6 hours after intake. I frequently measure blood pressure (due to the fact that it inhibits noradrenaline), but my blood pressure always remains the same.

If it works for you, then please spread the word about diosmin. It will help others.

*note I sometimes use quercetin too (another flavonoid; plant compound). I always dissolve the quercetin in Vitamin C water; Vitamin C dissolved in water*

This is interesting.... do you have any references to any other experiences like this with Diosmin? It appears to be mostly used for vascular diseases. I'm curious as to it's potential efficacy for ADHD (showing that it is far superior to placebo or even caffeine).

In reading this brief introduction (http://www.fleshandbones.com/readingroom/pdf/225.pdf) seems to indicate this may be useful in anxiety which may be due to an over responsive sympathetic reaction ADD is more of a stimuli filtering difficulty. The inattentive ADD sub-group doesn't seem to have to over excitabilities the hyperactive sub-group does. Understanding that most ADDer have a combination of impulsive and inattentive traits I do not see this as being the treatment to ADD although it may perhaps assist some with anxiety issues that can accompany ADD.

Thank you for your reply.

Highfunctioning, no other people have this experience because this compound has never been used for ADD treatment before. I'm the strange guy that tried an experiment involving taking Diosmin for no particular reason. I strongly believe that this compound (diosmin) has 2 uses; 1 against variose veins; 2 against ADD. Where usage 2 is still unproven.

It's not comparable to caffeine. It does not makes me jittery like caffeine. It's effect is very smooth ("clean"). To put it straight: My experience with Diosmin is that I pay more attention to what I am reading and what I am doing. Nothing more and nothing less.

Myadd: I read your resource. It was very useful. The strange thing is that diosmin does not seem to influence my blood pressure, while you would think it would because it inhibits(???) noradrenalin.

I think diosmin does something with noradrenalin (+ dopamin too???). This explains it's effect.

Amine uptake inhibition by diosmin and diosmetin in human neuronal and neuroendocrine cell lines.

<!--AuthorList-->Sher E (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Sher%20E%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Codignola A (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Codignola%20A%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Biancardi E (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Biancardi%20E%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Cova D (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Cova%20D%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Clementi F (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Clementi%20F%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus).
CNR Center of Cytopharmacology, University of Milan, Italy.

Human neuroblastoma cells of sympathetic origin have been used for studying the effects of diosmin and its metabolite diosmetin (vasotonic agent) on amine reuptake systems. Neuroblastoma cells take up 3H-dopamine in a specific and time-dependent manner. 3H-dopamine uptake was dose-dependently inhibited by the known antagonist desipramine. Diosmin did not affect 3H-dopamine uptake at concentrations as high as 1 mM. On the other hand the aglycone metabolite of diosmin, diosmetin, inhibited 3H-dopamine uptake in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 4 microM). Diosmetin inhibited 3H-dopamine uptake in control and differentiated neuroblastoma cells, as well as in small-cell lung carcinoma cells. Furthermore diosmetin also inhibited 3H-serotonin uptake in both cell types. These results demonstrate that some flavonoids act as antagonists of plasma membrane amine transporters at the molecular level and suggest that inhibition of amine reuptake at the level of peripheral sympathetic nerve terminals could be responsible for the increased vascular tone observed in vivo after treatment with these drugs.

PMID: 1338224 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

By the way, this is exciting and I thank you, and there's nothing that I like more than nonstimulant dopaminergic supplements (heh), but the six-hours to effectiveness and long half-life I think would make this troublesome to use for regular symptom control. What say you?

The long half-life makes it a littlebit more difficult to sleep. I take the supplements in the evening, so they sit in my stomach and they start to work as soon as I wake up (hopefully).

Diosmetin is the metabolite that is present in plasma after intake of Diosmin!!!

Good article, thank you.

And I think that Vitamin C has to be taken along with Diosmin, because it inhibits diosmetin glucuronidation after it is being absorbed (difficult to explain why I think this). Otherwise it enables the diosmetin to cross the brain blood barrier. Or it makes the diosmetin more effective.

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of oral diosmin in healthy volunteers.

<!--AuthorList-->Cova D (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Cova%20D%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), De Angelis L (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22De%20Angelis%20L%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Giavarini F (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Giavarini%20F%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Palladini G (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Palladini%20G%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Perego R (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Perego%20R%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus).
Department of Pharmacology, CNR Center of Cytopharmacology, University of Milano, Italy.

Pharmacokinetic studies of diosmin were performed after an oral administration to healthy volunteers. Diosmin and its aglycone, diosmetin, were determined by HPLC and LC-MS techniques. At least, at the level of sensitivity of our method, no parent compound was present in the plasma but only its aglycone, diosmetin. Analysis of the pharmacokinetic parameters showed that the drug was rapidly absorbed. Diosmetin presents a long plasma elimination half-life ranging from 26 to 43 hours. Our data show the total absence of urinary elimination for both diosmin and its aglycone diosmetin, while its minor metabolites are eliminated in the urine, mainly as glucuronic acid conjugates. The presence of degradation products such as alkyl-phenolic acids confirms a metabolic pattern similar to other flavonoids.

PMID: 1551741 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


A validated HPLC determination of the flavone aglycone diosmetin in human plasma.

<!--AuthorList-->Kanaze FI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Kanaze%20FI%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Bounartzi MI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Bounartzi%20MI%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Niopas I (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Niopas%20I%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus).
Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.

Diosmetin, 3',5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxy flavone, is the aglycone of the flavonoid glycoside diosmin that occurs naturally in foods of plant origin. Diosmin exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, improves venous tone and it is used for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. Diosmin is hydrolyzed by enzymes of intestinal micro flora before absorption of its aglycone diosmetin. A specific, sensitive, precise, accurate and robust HPLC assay for the determination of diosmetin in human plasma was developed and validated. Diosmetin and the internal standard 7-ethoxycoumarin were isolated from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction and separated on a C8 reversed-phase column with methanol-water-acetic acid (55:43:2, v/v/v) as the mobile phase at 43 degrees C. Peaks were monitored at 344 nm. The method was linear in the 10-300 ng/mL concentration range (r > 0.999). Recovery for diosmetin and internal standard was greater than 89.7 and 86.8%, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day precision for diosmetin ranged from 1.6 to 4.6 and from 2.2 to 5.3%, respectively, and accuracy was better than 97.9%. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Thanks for posting this Steven D! Lets keep an open mind here - anything seemingly safe is better than having to take amphetamines for the rest of your life to function properly.

I will have to try this at some stage. I suspect it will poop out eventually like a lot of supplements have done for me - Grape Seed Extract, Pine Bark Extract, Silica, Rhodiola, SAMe, High dose Cocoa powder all increased my dopamine levels slightly but stopped working well pretty quick. I also suspect without careful monitoring of dosages and effects (and even with careful monitoring) it could be too stimulating to sleep properly after taking it for a few days and having it build up in your system - TMG and SAMe both had that effect on me for example...

Steve D,
How long have you been on this regimen - do you take breaks on weekends?
If its just been working for a few days I will wait and see lol...

Anybody else please report back if you have tried the Diosmin/Vitamin C regimen following exactly the same procedure/dosage levels that Steven D had mentioned.
Smitten

Only a week actually. But I have never encountered anything like this before. But don't think that I found out about this by pure accident. I have been 'studying' flavonoids for about a year. It's like a serious hobby for me. This is how I know so much about diosmin and diosmetin. I wouldn't take these supplements if I didn't know so much about them.

By the way I take micronized diosmin, which is about 2 times better absorbed:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=11782895&ordinalpos=23&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

So the real amount diosmin (unmicronized) I use is 1800 mg x 2 = 3600 mg.

You know how they make diosmin. First they extract hesperidin from oranges, then they convert it into diosmin. Diosmin is in oranges too, but I think there is a much lower amount of diosmin in oranges then hesperidin.

The funny thing is: Everytime I take these supplements I think about oranges.

And oh yes, one of the main reasons why I started taking supplements containing flavonoids was because I wanted to evade my mother saying that I should eat fruits because it's healthy. So I take these supplements instead.

A small update and warning.

I now use 6x450 = 2700 mg (micronized) diosmin a day.

The effect seems much less strong then when I started, but there still seems some effect (tolerance?)

I have to warn you about this: I use pharmaceutical grade (purified) diosmin (called daflon 500). Non-pharmaceutical grade supplements may contain impurities that may be unsafe (for long term use). Please be aware of this, maybe I am scaring you. I read in one research where they gave rats non-pharmaceutical grade supplements and they became half BLIND. They gave other rats pharmaceutical grade supplements and they did not become half BLIND. So it's safer to use pharmacuetical grade supplements if you use these supplements on the long term.

Update:

I now use diosmin without the Vitamin C. I still use high dosages without serious problems. At very high dosages I feel sleepy sometimes(I read about the CNS depressant effects of flavonoids).

Unfortunately the postive effect is much weaker then when I started. I have been thinking about combining this supplement diosmin with conventional meds (such as concerta), but I am very concerned that it could be dangerous because diosmin might influence the metabolism of other meds.