Icariin: A Promising Natural Product in Biomedicine and Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Among scaffolds used in tissue engineering, natural biomaterials such as plant-based materials show a crucial role in cellular function due to their biocompatibility and chemical indicators. Because of environmentally friendly behavior and safety, green methods are so important in designing scaffolds. A key bioactive flavonoid of the Epimedium plant, Icariin (ICRN), has a broad range of applications in improving scaffolds as a constant and non-immunogenic material, and in stimulating the cell growth, differentiation of chondrocytes as well as differentiation of embryonic stem cells towards cardiomyocytes. Moreover, fusion of ICRN into the hydrogel scaffolds or chemical crosslinking can enhance the secretion of the collagen matrix and proteoglycan in bone and cartilage tissue engineering. To scrutinize, in various types of cancer cells, ICRN plays a decisive role through increasing cytochrome c secretion, Bax/Bcl2 ratio, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase as well as caspase stimulations. Surprisingly, ICRN can induce apoptosis, reduce viability and inhibit proliferation of cancer cells, and repress tumorigenesis as well as metastasis. Moreover, cancer cells no longer grow by halting the cell cycle at two checkpoints, G0/G1 and G2/M, through the inhibition of NF-κB by ICRN. Besides, improving nephrotoxicity occurring due to cisplatin and inhibiting multidrug resistance are the other applications of this biomaterial.

Application of Nanocellulose-Based Aerogels in Bone Tissue Engineering: Current Trends and Outlooks

“…The bioactive molecules of traditional Chinese medicine such as icariin, drynaria, salvia miltiorrhiza, etc., have a certain role in promoting bone repair, and the sustained release of these traditional Chinese medicines by the nanocellulose-based aerogels might have promising potential for bone regeneration [ 150 , 151 ]. Resveratrol (Res) is a phenolic compound with a chemical formula of C14H12O3.…”

Thinkful of Icariin Induces Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis and Suppresses Invasion by Inhibiting the JNK/c-Jun Signaling Pathway [Letter]

“…Icariin/ICA is a flavonoid bioactive produced from the roots and leaves of the Epimedii herb, which is used to treat a number of ailments. Extracts of Epimedii herbs contain several bioactivities, including the capacity to prevent cancer cell invasion and migration, improve sexual function and memory, raise phytoestrogen activity, boost immunology, and have anti-inflammatory qualities 1 Gao et al found that the use of ICA to induce apoptosis and reduce invasion of triplenegative breast cancer (TNBC) was successful in silico and in vitro. 2 Nonetheless, findings were studied, evaluated, and merited greater discussion in the study and treatment strategies reported in this paper.…”

The Development of Naringin for Use against Bone and Cartilage Disorders

“…For example, genistein may exhibit estrogen-like effects to protect against many diseases, such as cancers, osteoporosis (OP), and OA [9]. Icariin shows promising characteristics in biomedicine and bone/cartilage tissue engineering [10]. Naringin (4 , 5,7-trihydroxy flavanone-7-rhamnoglucoside, Figure 1) is a flavonoid glycoside that is found in the extract of citrus fruits [11] and rhizoma drynariae [12].…”