**Flavonoids: Anticancer Properties**

Duraipandiyan Veeramuthu, William Raja Tharsius Raja, Naif Abdullah Al-Dhabi and Ignacimuthu Savarimuthu

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/68095

#### **Abstract**

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ijms160715425.

286 Flavonoids - From Biosynthesis to Human Health

BOE.7.000067.

Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites. They are mainly classified into four major groups, such as flavanols, flavones, anthocyanidins, and isoflavonoids. Furthermore, they are divided into some subclasses. They are available in dietary foods and they cure various diseases. Certain plants and spices contain flavonoids, which have been commonly used for thousands of years in traditional medicine. Some of the flavonoids have been clinically used in many countries. Baicalein and its glycosides are one among them to have been experimented clinically. Flavonoids have the capability to regulate cell division and proliferation in an important pathway. They have medicinal activities including anticancer properties. The isoflavone analog rotenone is one of the flavonoid compounds, which has been revealed to be actual anticancer agent. *Scutellaria* species having flavones retain cytotoxic activities against many human cancer cell lines. At the same time, they do not harm the myeloid cells, normal peripheral and normal epithelial blood cells. Epidemiological studies also confirmed that the intake of dietary flavonoids reduces a risk condition in cancer.

**Keywords:** flavonoids, cancer, dietary foods, pathway, epidemiological study

#### **1. Introduction**

Flavonoids are plant-based secondary metabolites. The intake of flavonoids is always safe and without adverse effects. Recent studies also suggest that the consumption of different fruits and vegetables has the capability to fight against cancers and decrease the cancer risk level at least by 20%. Based on this, the scientific community has focused its attention on plant-based compounds in order to control cancers. Many compounds, such as flavonoids, were isolated from plants and shown to have anticancer activity notably. This was confirmed through *in vitro* and *in vivo* studies [1]. Our dietary foods contain different types of flavonoids

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in various food additives. Grains and herbs have flavones. Fruits and vegetables hold flavonols and their glycosides. Citrus juices, legumes, and tea contain flavanones, isoflavones, and catechins, respectively. Some flavonoids are able to fight against breast cancer [2]. The health benefits of flavonoids may be helpful to find new drug discoveries. Such compounds are listed with their specific subclasses. Apigenin, baicalein, luteolin, and chrysin belong to the subclass of flavones; kaempferol, myricetin, and quercetin are closer to the subclass of flavonols; hesperetin is flavanone compound; genistein and daidzein go with the subclass of isoflavones; baicalin, catechin, and rutin fit with flavone glycosides, flavan-3-ols, and flavonol glycosides, respectively. There are different types of tumors which can be organized and categorized as oral (pharyngeal, laryngeal), gastrointestinal (esophageal, gastric, pancreatic), colorectal, liver, reproductive (ovarian, endometrial, prostate), breast, and lung cancer. The various diseases including cancers are controlled by the intake of flavonoids. Cytotoxicity in cancer cell line is shown mainly because of flavonoid compounds which do not affect normal cells. This was proved by cytotoxicity assay. Apigenin and luteolin come under the flavonoid subclass, flavones which have the ability to regulate macrophage function in cancer cell elimination and act as a potential inhibitor of cell proliferation. Many *in vitro* and *in vivo* studies confirmed that flavonoids have good activity against various cancer cell lines. Flavonoids have the ability to perform antiproliferation and cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. They are used for human clinical trial which was conducted on flavone acetic acid.

In 2011, a database of U.S Department of Agriculture explains to us the flavonoid content in 500 foods in which isoflavone, proanthocyanidin, and other compounds are identified [3]. This definitely helps us calculate the flavonoid intake and its cancer-preventive properties. The amount of intake and the time of exposure have considerable say in the anticancer response to flavonoid-rich diets. Some intervention trials of flavonoids have shown their capacity to prevent cancer. They have the ability to block cell cycle followed by apoptosis. In recent years, they have been used for the treatment of prostate, pancreatic, breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers. Several protein kinases, epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs), platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFRs), vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs), and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) [4] play important roles in cancer pathology. COX (cyclooxygenase), LOX (lipoxygenase), and xanthine oxidase enzymes are also responsible for cancer pathologies. Flavonoids have the power to decrease and sometimes control all these pathogenic factors completely.
