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Isolated phytochemicals & plant compounds

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone

7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), isolated flavone and experimental TrkB/PDXP-pathway compound

7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF, also called tropoflavin) is an isolated flavone studied as a TrkB-pathway and PDXP-pathway compound in lab and animal models. It has interesting preclinical memory, neuroplasticity and mood-related findings, but human nootropic trials are lacking. View supplement listings as experimental: verify identity and purity, avoid disease or guaranteed brain claims, and do not infer a safe human dose from mouse studies.

Memory SupportMood SupportCellular SupportBdnf RelatedNeurotrophic PathwaysAntioxidant PathwaysStandardized Extract
Updated August 2026/4 min read/8 citations
Reviewed by the NootropicsIndex editorial team.Method: prioritize cited human research and official safety or regulatory sources; compare retailer-listed prices without endorsing products.Affiliate disclosure
01

What is it?

What it is

1

7,8-DHF is an isolated flavone sold in some nootropic-supplement contexts and studied in research as a neurotrophic-pathway compound. It is not a whole herb, and retail products should be evaluated as isolated-compound listings.

Mostly preclinical3
The strongest claims come from animal and mechanistic studies. The source set does not establish human nootropic efficacy for memory, focus, mood or productivity.
Memory evidence is animal evidence5
Mouse-model work includes memory-deficit and object-recognition findings. Those data are useful for research context, but they do not justify confident human memory or study claims.
Mood claims need restraint4
Emotional-learning and antidepressant-like findings are preclinical. A supplement listing should not convert those findings into human mood claims.
02

Names, aliases and forms

Common Names7,8-dihydroxyflavone; Tropoflavin
Abbreviation7,8-DHF
Cas Number38183-03-8
Pubchem Cid1880
Chemical Name7,8-dihydroxy-2-phenylchromen-4-one
Molecular FormulaC15H10O4
InchikeyCOCYGNDCWFKTMF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
03

Mechanisms of action

Mechanism is not settled

8

Older literature often describes 7,8-DHF as a small-molecule TrkB agonist. Newer mechanistic work indicates PDXP inhibition may also be important, so buyers should be skeptical of oversimplified BDNF-booster claims.

04

Potential effects and evidence map

7,8-DHF has a substantial preclinical literature in TrkB-pathway, neuroplasticity, emotional-learning and mouse memory models. Recent mechanistic work also complicates the simple direct-TrkB-agonist story by identifying PDXP inhibition as another target. The available source set does not establish human nootropic efficacy, safe consumer dosing, or long-term safety for supplement users.

Effect domainMagnitudeGrade
Memory / learning5
UnknownConfidence: Low

Mouse studies report memory or object-recognition effects, but this does not establish a human learning or memory benefit.

Note Keep memory claims explicitly preclinical.

1/5
D
Mood / wellbeing4
UnknownConfidence: Low

Animal emotional-learning and mood-model findings are hypothesis-generating, not proof of human mood benefit.

Note Avoid translating animal mood models into consumer claims.

1/5
D
Cellular / long-term brain support8
UnknownConfidence: Low

TrkB/BDNF-pathway and PDXP-pathway research suggests biological activity, but human long-term brain-support outcomes are unproven.

Note Mechanism is not equivalent to clinical benefit.

1/5
D
05

Typical dosages and timing

No human dose established3No human dose established

Human dosing and duration data are not established. Animal-model dosing should not be converted into consumer directions.

06

Timing & effect horizon

Effect horizonUnknown
Unknown
No onset or cycle guidance3

Onset, duration and repeated-use guidance for nootropic use are not established in humans. Retail cycle claims should be read as marketing rather than evidence.

07

Safety, side effects and risk profile

Human safety profile is thin3
Because controlled human use data are lacking, the safer buyer-facing stance is uncertainty: avoid stacking with other experimental compounds, avoid high-dose experimentation, and prioritize identity/purity verification.
Evidence uncertainty3
Confidence: High

Human nootropic efficacy and safety data are insufficient; do not infer safe use from animal or cell studies.

Note Core risk is uncertainty rather than a well-characterized adverse-event profile.

4/5
D
Liver / kidney caution6
Confidence: Medium

Human metabolism, organ-safety and long-term exposure data are not well established for supplement use.

Note Use broad organ-safety caution without claiming a specific organ toxicity signal.

3/5
E
Headache / dizziness3
Confidence: Low

A reliable human side-effect profile is not established; unusual symptoms should be a stop-and-review signal.

Note No mature human tolerability base.

2/5
E
08

Practical buying and quality notes

  • Prefer listings that provide batch-specific third-party testing, PubChem-compatible identity, contaminant screening and clear capsule math. Avoid products that rely only on BDNF-booster or neurogenesis slogans.1
  • Listings that imply Alzheimer disease, depression, brain repair or guaranteed cognitive enhancement are ahead of the evidence and are high-risk marketing.3
09

FAQ

Is 7,8-DHF a proven nootropic?

3

No. It is a research-relevant flavone with preclinical neurotrophic-pathway data, but human memory, focus or productivity benefits are not established.

Is it the same as BDNF?

8

No. 7,8-DHF is a small molecule studied around TrkB/BDNF-related signaling and PDXP mechanisms. It is not BDNF itself, and mechanism labels do not prove clinical benefit.

What should buyers compare first?

1

Compare identity, purity, third-party testing, dosage transparency, contaminant screening, and whether the seller keeps claims within preclinical evidence rather than human nootropic promises.

10

References

  1. PubChem. Compound Summary for CID 1880, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone.
  2. Liu C, Chan CB, Ye K. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, a small molecular TrkB agonist, is useful for treating various BDNF-implicated human disorders. Transl Neurodegener. 2016;5:2.
  3. Yang S, Zhu G. 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone and Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Translational Perspective from the Mechanism to Drug Development. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2022;20(8):1474-1487.
  4. Andero R, Heldt SA, Ye K, Liu X, Armario A, Ressler KJ. Effect of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, a small-molecule TrkB agonist, on emotional learning. Am J Psychiatry. 2011;168(2):163-172.
  5. Devi L, Ohno M. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, a small-molecule TrkB agonist, reverses memory deficits and BACE1 elevation in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012;37(2):434-444.
  6. Liu X, Qi Q, Xiao G, Li J, Luo HR, Ye K. O-methylated metabolite of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone activates TrkB receptor and displays antidepressant activity. Pharmacology. 2013;91(3-4):185-200.
  7. Perez-Rando M, Castillo-Gomez E, Bueno-Fernandez C, Nacher J. The TrkB agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone changes the structural dynamics of neocortical pyramidal neurons and improves object recognition in mice. Brain Struct Funct. 2018;223(5):2393-2413.
  8. Brenner S, et al. 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone is a direct inhibitor of human and murine pyridoxal phosphatase. eLife. 2024;13:RP93094.
Note

This page is informational and summarizes available evidence. It is not medical advice, a recommendation, or a substitute for guidance from a qualified clinician.