Biological effects and mechanisms of fisetin in cancer: a promising anti-cancer agent

• Published in: European journal of medical research 2023-08, Vol.28 (1), p.1-297, Article 297
• Main Authors: Zhou, Chenhui, Huang, Yi, Nie, Sheng, Zhou, Shengjun, Gao, Xiang, Chen, Gao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Anticancer therapy; Antimitotic agents; Antineoplastic agents; Apoptosis; Bioflavonoids; Biological function; Blood vessels; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell cycle; Cell growth; Chemotherapy; Colorectal cancer; Development and progression; Drug therapy; Fisetin; Flavones; Flavonoids; Fruits; Kinases; Medical prognosis; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Metastasis; Mortality; Neovascularization; Oxidative stress; Phosphorylation; Physiology; Prostate cancer; Protein kinases; Proteins; Review; Signal pathways; Vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 2047-783X; 0949-2321; 2047-783X
• DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01271-8

Fisetin, a natural flavonoid, possesses numerous biological activities that have been extensively studied in various diseases. When it comes to cancer, fisetin exhibits a range of biological effects, such as suppressing cell growth, triggering programmed cell death, reducing the formation of new blood vessels, protecting against oxidative stress, and inhibiting cell migration. Moreover, fisetin has the ability to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy. The anticancer properties of fisetin can be attributed to a diverse array of molecules and signaling pathways, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and Nrf2/HO-1. Consequently, fisetin holds promise as a therapeutic agent for anticancer treatment. In this review, we place emphasis on the biological functions and various molecular targets of fisetin in anticancer therapy.