Flavonoid Bioactive Compounds in Cancer and Inflammation
Summary
Flavonoids are polyphenolic bioactive compounds found in fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. They exhibit a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, notably antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. In the context of cancer, flavonoids can modulate cell proliferation, induce apoptosis and inhibit angiogenesis. In inflammatory processes, they attenuate cytokine production, scavenge reactive oxygen species and regulate immune signalling pathways. Advances in extraction, structural characterisation and formulation have improved their stability and bioavailability, enhancing therapeutic potential. This research area bridges nutritional science, medicinal chemistry and clinical oncology, with far-reaching implications for chemoprevention and adjuvant therapy worldwide.
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Flavonoid Bioactive Compounds in Cancer and Inflammation publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in flavonoid bioactive compounds in cancer and inflammation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Flavonoid: A class of polyphenolic compounds found in plants with diverse biological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Bioactive compound: Any substance that exerts a biological effect on living tissues, such as modulation of cellular pathways.
Apoptosis: Programmed cell death involving characteristic morphological and biochemical changes, crucial for eliminating damaged or cancerous cells.
Oxidative stress: A state in which reactive oxygen species exceed antioxidant defences, leading to cellular damage and inflammation.
PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway: An intracellular signalling cascade that regulates cell growth, survival and metabolism, often dysregulated in cancer.
References
- Review of the effects of vitexin in oxidative stress‐related diseases. Food Science & Nutrition (2020).
- The Passiflora tripartita (Banana Passion) Fruit: A Source of Bioactive Flavonoid C-Glycosides Isolated by HSCCC and Characterized by HPLC–DAD–ESI/MS/MS. Molecules (2013).
- Vitexin induces apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells. Biological Research (2019).
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