Chromones As Therapeutic Agents

A method for increasing adiponectin production from adipocytes comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a chromone or a mixture of chromones;

• wherein said chromone or a mixture of chromones are selected from the group of compounds having the following structure:
• wherein
• R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, —OH, —CH3, —SH, alkyl, alkenyl, oxoalkyl, oxoalkenyl, hydroxylalkyl, hydroxylalkenyl, —OCH3, —SCH3, —OR, —SR, —NH2, —NRH, —NR2, —NR3+X−, an ester selected from the group consisting of gallate, acetate, cinnamoyl and hydroxyl-cinnamoyl esters, trihydroxybenzoyl esters and caffeoyl esters;
• and a hexose or pentose, wherein said hexose or pentose is linked to the chromone by a carbon, nitrogen sulfur or oxygen and wherein said hexose or pentose is selected from the group consisting of aldopentoses, methyl aldopentose, aldohexoses, ketohexose and their chemical derivatives thereof;
• including a dimer, trimer and other polymerized chromones;
• wherein said alkyl and/or alkenyl group is a straight and/or branched chain having between 1-20 carbon atoms with and/or without double bonds and substitution group(s) selected from the group consisting —OH, ═O and —OR in different positions;
• X is selected from the group of pharmaceutically acceptable counter anions including hydroxyl, chloride, iodide, sulfate, phosphate, acetate, fluoride, carbonate;
• and
• R is an alkyl group having between 1-20 carbon atoms and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.