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Khan A, Khan A, Khan MA, Malik Z, Massey S, Parveen R, Mustafa S, Shamsi A, Husain SA. Phytocompounds targeting epigenetic modulations: an assessment in cancer. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1273993. [PMID: 38596245 PMCID: PMC11002180 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1273993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
For centuries, plants have been serving as sources of potential therapeutic agents. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in investigating the effects of plant-derived compounds on epigenetic processes, a novel and captivating Frontier in the field of epigenetics research. Epigenetic changes encompass modifications to DNA, histones, and microRNAs that can influence gene expression. Aberrant epigenetic changes can perturb key cellular processes, including cell cycle control, intercellular communication, DNA repair, inflammation, stress response, and apoptosis. Such disruptions can contribute to cancer development by altering the expression of genes involved in tumorigenesis. However, these modifications are reversible, offering a unique avenue for therapeutic intervention. Plant secondary compounds, including terpenes, phenolics, terpenoids, and sulfur-containing compounds are widely found in grains, vegetables, spices, fruits, and medicinal plants. Numerous plant-derived compounds have demonstrated the potential to target these abnormal epigenetic modifications, including apigenin (histone acetylation), berberine (DNA methylation), curcumin (histone acetylation and epi-miRs), genistein (histone acetylation and DNA methylation), lycopene (epi-miRs), quercetin (DNA methylation and epi-miRs), etc. This comprehensive review highlights these abnormal epigenetic alterations and discusses the promising efficacy of plant-derived compounds in mitigating these deleterious epigenetic signatures in human cancer. Furthermore, it addresses ongoing clinical investigations to evaluate the therapeutic potential of these phytocompounds in cancer treatment, along with their limitations and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aqsa Khan
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Asifa Khan
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Mohammad Aasif Khan
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Zoya Malik
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Sheersh Massey
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Rabea Parveen
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Saad Mustafa
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Anas Shamsi
- Center for Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Syed A. Husain
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
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Andres S, Pevny S, Ziegenhagen R, Bakhiya N, Schäfer B, Hirsch-Ernst KI, Lampen A. Safety Aspects of the Use of Quercetin as a Dietary Supplement. Mol Nutr Food Res 2017; 62. [PMID: 29127724 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201700447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 287] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The flavonoid quercetin is frequently found in low amounts as a secondary plant metabolite in fruits and vegetables. Isolated quercetin is also marketed as a dietary supplement, mostly as the free quercetin aglycone, and frequently in daily doses of up to 1000 mg d-1 exceeding usual dietary intake levels. The present review is dedicated to safety aspects of isolated quercetin used as single compound in dietary supplements. Among the numerous published human intervention studies, adverse effects following supplemental quercetin intake have been rarely reported and any such effects were mild in nature. Published adequate scientific data for safety assessment in regard to the long-term use (>12 weeks) of high supplemental quercetin doses (≥1000 mg) are currently not available. Based on animal studies involving oral quercetin application some possible critical safety aspects could be identified such as the potential of quercetin to enhance nephrotoxic effects in the predamaged kidney or to promote tumor development especially in estrogen-dependent cancer. Furthermore, animal and human studies with single time or short-term supplemental quercetin application revealed interactions between quercetin and certain drugs leading to altered drug bioavailability. Based on these results, some potential risk groups are discussed in the present review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Andres
- Department of Food Safety, Former employee of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Sophie Pevny
- Department of Food Safety, Former employee of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer Ziegenhagen
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Nadiya Bakhiya
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernd Schäfer
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Alfonso Lampen
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
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Harwood M, Danielewska-Nikiel B, Borzelleca JF, Flamm GW, Williams GM, Lines TC. A critical review of the data related to the safety of quercetin and lack of evidence of in vivo toxicity, including lack of genotoxic/carcinogenic properties. Food Chem Toxicol 2007; 45:2179-205. [PMID: 17698276 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2007.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 596] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2006] [Revised: 05/18/2007] [Accepted: 05/22/2007] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Quercetin is a naturally-occurring flavonol (a member of the flavonoid family of compounds) that has a long history of consumption as part of the normal human diet. Because a number of biological properties of quercetin may be beneficial to human health, interest in the addition of this flavonol to various traditional food products has been increasing. Prior to the use of quercetin in food applications that would increase intake beyond that from naturally-occurring levels of the flavonol in the typical Western diet, its safety needs to be established or confirmed. This review provides a critical examination of the scientific literature associated with the safety of quercetin. Results of numerous genotoxicity and mutagenicity, short- and long-term animal, and human studies are reviewed in the context of quercetin exposure in vivo. To reconcile results of in vitro studies, which consistently demonstrated quercetin-related mutagenicity to the absence of carcinogenicity in vivo, the mechanisms that lead to the apparent in vitro mutagenicity, and those that ensure absence of quercetin toxicity in vivo are discussed. The weight of the available evidence supports the safety of quercetin for addition to food.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Harwood
- CANTOX Health Sciences International, 2233 Argentia Road, Suite 308, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5N 2X7.
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