The Hallmarks of Flavonoids in Cancer

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 26; no. 7; p. 2029
• Main Authors: Ponte, Luis Gustavo Saboia, Pavan, Isadora Carolina Betim, Mancini, Mariana Camargo Silva, da Silva, Luiz Guilherme Salvino, Morelli, Ana Paula, Severino, Matheus Brandemarte, Bezerra, Rosangela Maria Neves, Simabuco, Fernando Moreira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 02-04-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Adjuvants; Animals; Apoptosis; Arteriosclerosis; Autophagy; Beverages; Bioactive compounds; Biological activity; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell cycle; Cell proliferation; cell signaling; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diabetes mellitus; Epidemiology; Flavonoids; Flavonoids - administration & dosage; Flavonoids - chemistry; Flavonoids - pharmacology; Flavonoids - therapeutic use; Humans; Immunity - drug effects; Inflammation; Inflammation - pathology; Kinases; Metabolism; Metabolites; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - immunology; Neurological diseases; Phagocytosis; Plant-based foods; Review; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumorigenesis; flavonoids; cancer; cell signaling
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules26072029

Flavonoids represent an important group of bioactive compounds derived from plant-based foods and beverages with known biological activity in cells. From the modulation of inflammation to the inhibition of cell proliferation, flavonoids have been described as important therapeutic adjuvants against several diseases, including diabetes, arteriosclerosis, neurological disorders, and cancer. Cancer is a complex and multifactor disease that has been studied for years however, its prevention is still one of the best known and efficient factors impacting the epidemiology of the disease. In the molecular and cellular context, some of the mechanisms underlying the oncogenesis and the progression of the disease are understood, known as the hallmarks of cancer. In this text, we review important molecular signaling pathways, including inflammation, immunity, redox metabolism, cell growth, autophagy, apoptosis, and cell cycle, and analyze the known mechanisms of action of flavonoids in cancer. The current literature provides enough evidence supporting that flavonoids may be important adjuvants in cancer therapy, highlighting the importance of healthy and balanced diets to prevent the onset and progression of the disease.