Luteolin, a flavonoid, as an anticancer agent: A review

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Molecular Oncology
• Cancer Biology

Background:

• Luteolin is a flavonoid found in fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs.
• Flavonoids are recognized for their potential as anti-cancer agents.
• Luteolin exhibits anticancer activity across multiple human cancer types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent research on luteolin's efficacy against various human cancers.
• To summarize luteolin's mechanisms of action in cancer treatment.
• To highlight luteolin's potential as a natural anti-cancer compound.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of preclinical and clinical studies on luteolin and cancer.
• Analysis of luteolin's effects on cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis.
• Investigation of luteolin's impact on cellular pathways, including EMT, ROS, and ER stress.

Main Results:

• Luteolin inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in lung, breast, glioblastoma, prostate, colon, and pancreatic cancer cells.
• Luteolin reverses epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by altering cytoskeletal proteins and biomarkers.
• Luteolin enhances reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in glioblastoma cells, leading to apoptosis.

Conclusions:

• Luteolin demonstrates broad-spectrum anticancer activity through multiple signaling pathways.
• Its ability to inhibit tumor growth, induce apoptosis, and reverse EMT makes it a promising therapeutic candidate.
• Further research into luteolin could lead to novel, natural-based cancer treatments.