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Anticancer activity of flavonoids accompanied by redox state modulation and the potential for a chemotherapeutic strategy

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Abstract

Since researchers began studying the mechanism of flavonoids’ anticancer activity, little attention has been focused on the modulation of redox state in cells as a potential chemotherapeutic strategy. However, recent studies have begun identifying that the anticancer effect of flavonoids occurs both in their antioxidative activity which scavenges ROS and their prooxidative activity which generates ROS. Against this backdrop, this study attempts to achieve a comprehensive analysis of the individual and separate study findings regarding flavonoids’ modulation of redox state in cancer cells. It focuses on the mechanism behind the anticancer effect, and mostly on the modulation of redox potential by flavonoids such as quercetin, hesperetin, apigenin, genistein, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), luteolin and kaempferol in both in vitro and animal models. In addition, the clinical applications of and bioavailability of flavonoids were reviewed to help build a treatment strategy based on flavonoids’ prooxidative potential.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Dongseo University Research Fund of 2020.

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  1. Foood and Nutrition, College of Science and Engineering, Dongseo University, Jurae-ro 47, Sasang-Gu, Busan, 47011, Korea

    Yongkyu Lee

  2. Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Daesingongwon-ro 32, Seo-Gu, Busan, 49201, Korea

    Jehyung Lee

  3. Central Research & Development Center, Daewoo Pharmaceutical Co, LTD. 153, Dadae-ro, Saha-gu, Busan, 49393, Korea

    Changbaek Lim

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Lee, Y., Lee, J. & Lim, C. Anticancer activity of flavonoids accompanied by redox state modulation and the potential for a chemotherapeutic strategy. Food Sci Biotechnol 30, 321–340 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-021-00899-8

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