Pharmacological Effects of Flavonoids in Cancer Therapeutics
Summary
Flavonoids are a large class of plant-derived polyphenolic compounds with diverse biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects. In cancer therapeutics, these molecules exert multi-faceted pharmacological actions that target key hallmarks of tumour progression. They modulate cell cycle regulators, inhibit oncogenic signalling cascades such as PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, and induce programmed cell death via intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic mechanisms. Many flavonoids also influence the tumour microenvironment by attenuating angiogenesis, altering immune cell infiltration and remodelling the extracellular matrix. Their capacity to generate reactive oxygen species in tumour cells can further enhance cytotoxic stress selectively. Despite challenges in bioavailability and stability, advances in formulation science have yielded nanoparticle delivery systems and prodrug strategies to improve their pharmacokinetic profiles. Collectively, flavonoids represent a promising reservoir of multi-targeted agents with potential for integration into current chemotherapeutic regimens and chemopreventive approaches.
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Pharmacological Effects of Flavonoids in Cancer Therapeutics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in pharmacological effects of flavonoids in cancer therapeutics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Flavonoid: A polyphenolic compound found in plants that exhibits antioxidant and signalling-modulatory activities.
Tumour microenvironment: The complex milieu of cancer cells interacting with stromal cells, immune cells and extracellular matrix components.
Apoptosis: Programmed cell death involving caspase activation and DNA fragmentation, essential for eliminating damaged or malignant cells.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen that can induce cellular damage or signal apoptosis.
Bioavailability: The fraction of an administered compound that reaches systemic circulation in an active form.
References
- Baicalin and baicalein in modulating tumor microenvironment for cancer treatment: A comprehensive review with future perspectives. Pharmacological Research (2023).
- Scutellaria baicalensis enhances 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy via inhibition of proliferative signaling pathways. Cell Communication and Signaling (2023).
- ROS‐Mediated Cancer Cell Killing through Dietary Phytochemicals. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity (2019).
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