Advances in Anti-Cancer Activities of Flavonoids in Scutellariae radix: Perspectives on Mechanism

Abstract

Despite encouraging progresses in the development of novel therapies, cancer remains the dominant cause of disease-related mortality and has become a leading economic and healthcare burden worldwide. Scutellariae radix (SR, Huangqin in Chinese) is a common herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, with a long history in treating a series of symptoms resulting from cancer, like dysregulated immune response and metabolic abnormalities. As major bioactive ingredients extracted from SR, flavonoids, including baicalein, wogonin, along with their glycosides (baicalin and wogonoside), represent promising pharmacological and anti-tumor activities and deserve extensive research attention. Emerging evidence has made great strides in elucidating the multi-targeting therapeutic mechanisms and key signaling pathways underlying the efficacious potential of flavonoids derived from SR in the field of cancer treatment. In this current review, we aim to summarize the pharmacological actions of flavonoids against various cancers in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, we also make a brief summarization of the endeavor in developing a drug delivery system or structural modification to enhance the bioavailability and biological activities of flavonoid monomers. Taken together, flavonoid components in SR have great potential to be developed as adjuvant or even primary therapies for the clinical management of cancers and have a promising prospect.

Electrostimulation improves plant growth and modulates the flavonoid profile in aeroponic culture of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi

“…Among the many properties of Sb's main flavonoids, their potent cytostatic and cytotoxic effects observed both in vitro and in vivo are worth noting (Gu et al, 2022;Shah et al, 2022). They were found to be effective against various neoplasms, such as myeloma, prostate, colon, and lung cancer (Zhao et al, 2019;Sui et al, 2021;Gu et al, 2022).…”

“…Among the many properties of Sb's main flavonoids, their potent cytostatic and cytotoxic effects observed both in vitro and in vivo are worth noting (Gu et al, 2022;Shah et al, 2022). They were found to be effective against various neoplasms, such as myeloma, prostate, colon, and lung cancer (Zhao et al, 2019;Sui et al, 2021;Gu et al, 2022). Wogonoside is a promising cytotoxic agent, especially in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is one of the most difficult lung cancer types to cure (Luo et al, 2018).…”

“…Wogonoside is a promising cytotoxic agent, especially in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is one of the most difficult lung cancer types to cure (Luo et al, 2018). Its aglycone, wogonin, was found to enhance the cytotoxic effect of other chemotherapeutics, e.g., oxaliplatin (Hong et al, 2018;Gu et al, 2022). All four main Sb flavonoids strengthen the immune system and have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties (Liao et al, 2021).…”

Bruceine B Displays Potent Antimyeloma Activity by Inducing the Degradation of the Transcription Factor c-Maf

“…6 Many herbs and trees are great sources of Chinese medicines that have been applied for thousands of years to resolve almost all of disorders. 7 Artemisinin, an antimalarial drug, derived from the sweet wormwood plant, is a most well-known example that has saved millions of patients infected with malaria. 8 Our recent study finds acevaltrate and lanatoside C that possess great anti-MM activity by screening a commercial library of natural product.…”

“…Natural products are a great drug source, and a long list of anticancer drugs have been developed and saved millions of patients with various cancers, the most well-known including paclitaxel (from the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia), vincristine (from a periwinkle plant), rapamycin (from streptomyces hygroscopicus), and many others . Many herbs and trees are great sources of Chinese medicines that have been applied for thousands of years to resolve almost all of disorders . Artemisinin, an antimalarial drug, derived from the sweet wormwood plant, is a most well-known example that has saved millions of patients infected with malaria .…”