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Aliya S, Alhammadi M, Park U, Tiwari JN, Lee JH, Han YK, Huh YS. The potential role of formononetin in cancer treatment: An updated review. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115811. [PMID: 37922652 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, cancer is one of the main research topics, due to its high incidence and drug resistance to existing anti-cancer drugs. Formononetin, a natural product with phytoestrogenic properties and diverse biological functions, has attracted the attention of researchers working on anticancer drugs. Formononetin emerges as an intriguing bioactive substance compared to other isoflavones as it exhibits potent chemotherapeutic activity with less toxicity. Formononetin effectively plays a significant role in inhibiting cell proliferation, invasion, and metastatic abilities of cancer cells by targeting major signaling pathways at the junction of interconnected pathways. It also induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by modulating mediator proteins. It causes upregulation of key factors such as p-AKT, p38, p21, and p53 and downregulation of NF-κB. Furthermore, formononetin regulates the neoplastic microenvironment by inactivating the ERK1/2 pathway and lamin A/C signaling and has been reported to inactivate JAK/STAT, PKB or AKT, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways and to suppress cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in human cancer cells. To assist researchers in further exploring formononetin as a potential anticancer therapeutic candidate, this review focuses on both in vitro and in vivo proof of concept studies, patents, and clinical trials pertinent to formononetin's anticancer properties. Overall, this review discusses formononetin from a comprehensive perspective to highlight its potential benefits as an anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheik Aliya
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Munirah Alhammadi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Uichang Park
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Jitendra N Tiwari
- Department of Energy and Materials Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul 100-715, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Hwan Lee
- 3D Convergence Center, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Kyu Han
- Department of Energy and Materials Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul 100-715, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yun Suk Huh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea.
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Jiang D, Rasul A, Batool R, Sarfraz I, Hussain G, Mateen Tahir M, Qin T, Selamoglu Z, Ali M, Li J, Li X. Potential Anticancer Properties and Mechanisms of Action of Formononetin. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:5854315. [PMID: 31467899 PMCID: PMC6699357 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5854315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nature, a vast reservoir of pharmacologically active molecules, has been most promising source of drug leads for the cure of various pathological conditions. Formononetin is one of the bioactive isoflavones isolated from different plants mainly from Trifolium pratense, Glycine max, Sophora flavescens, Pycnanthus angolensis, and Astragalus membranaceus. Formononetin has been well-documented for its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Recently anticancer activity of formononetin is widely studied. This review aims to highlight the pharmacological potential of formononetin, thus providing an insight of its status in cancer therapeutics. Formononetin fights progression of cancer via inducing apoptosis, arresting cell cycle, and halting metastasis via targeting various pathways which are generally modulated in several cancers. Although reported data acclaims various biological properties of formononetin, further experimentation on mechanism of its action, medicinal chemistry studies, and preclinical investigations are surely needed to figure out full array of its pharmacological and biological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongjun Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Azhar Rasul
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), 38000, Pakistan
| | - Rabia Batool
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), 38000, Pakistan
| | - Iqra Sarfraz
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), 38000, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Hussain
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), 38000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Mateen Tahir
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), 38000, Pakistan
| | - Tian Qin
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Zeliha Selamoglu
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nigde Ömer Halisdemir University, Nigde, Campus 51240, Turkey
| | - Muhammad Ali
- Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
| | - Jiang Li
- Dental Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Xiaomeng Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
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