Cited by 441Phytochemicals and Antioxidant ActivitiesFlavonoids in Medical ResearchFree Radicals and Antioxidants

RETRACTED: Therapeutic potential of flavonoids in cancer: ROS-mediated mechanisms

Open access
Slika, Hasan, Mansour, Hadi, Wehbe, Nadine, Nasser, Suzanne A., Iratni, Rabah, Nasrallah, Gheyath, Shaito, Abdullah, Ghaddar, Tarek +2 more·2022·Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

Abstract

Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality around the globe. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play contradicting roles in cancer incidence and progression. Antioxidants have attracted attention as emerging therapeutic agents. Among these are flavonoids, which are natural polyphenols with established anticancer and antioxidant capacities. Increasing evidence shows that flavonoids can inhibit carcinogenesis via suppressing ROS levels. Surprisingly, flavonoids can also trigger excessive oxidative stress, but this can also induce death of malignant cells. In this review, we explore the inherent characteristics that contribute to the antioxidant capacity of flavonoids, and we dissect the scenarios in which they play the contrasting role as pro-oxidants. Furthermore, we elaborate on the pathways that link flavonoid-mediated modulation of ROS to the prevention and treatment of cancer. Special attention is given to the ROS-mediated anticancer functions that (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), hesperetin, naringenin, quercetin, luteolin, and apigenin evoke in various cancers. We also delve into the structure-function relations that make flavonoids potent antioxidants. This review provides a detailed perspective that can be utilized in future experiments or trials that aim at utilizing flavonoids or verifying their efficacy for developing new pharmacologic agents. We support the argument that flavonoids are attractive candidates for cancer therapy.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112442This paper is marked retracted.

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  • A number of natural compounds with strong antioxidant properties (quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, resveratrol) have well-established anticancer activity and are widely studied as potential antineoplastic therapeutics.

    “A number of natural compounds with strong antioxidant properties (quercetin [59], kaempferol [60], rutin [61], resveratrol [62]) have a well-established anticancer activity and are widely studied as potential antineoplastic therapeutics [63].”

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Cites

1 retracted

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3 of the 176 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. L. Zhang, X. Xu, T. Jiang, K. Wu, C. Ding, Z. Liu, X. Zhang, T. Yu, C. Song, Citrus aurantium naringenin prevents osteosarcoma progression and recurrence in the patients who underwent osteosarcoma surgery by improving antioxidant capability, Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev. 2018 (2018), 8713263.

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Authors
Slika, H., Mansour, H., Wehbe, N., Nasser, S. A., Iratni, R., Nasrallah, G., Shaito, A., Ghaddar, T., Kobeissy, F., & Eid, A. H.
Affiliations
  • American University of Beirut (LB)
  • Beirut Arab University (LB)
  • United Arab Emirates University (AE)
  • Qatar University (QA)
Corresponding author
Eid, Ali H.
Venue
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-02
Volume
146
Pages
112442
ISSN
0753-3322 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4206071092
Cited by
441
References
176
Citations by year
2026: 65 · 2025: 120 · 2024: 126 · 2023: 91 · 2022: 39
FWCI
49.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Status
Retracted
Open access
Locations
  • Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Qatar University QSpace (Qatar University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Flavonoids in Medical Research
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Free Radicals and Antioxidants
Keywords
flavonoids, reactive oxygen species, cancer, antioxidants, oxidative stress, pro-oxidant activity, anticancer mechanism, epigallocatechin gallate, hesperetin, naringenin, quercetin, luteolin, apigenin, structure-function relationship, carcinogenesis
MeSH terms
Antioxidants, Carcinogens, Flavonoids, Humans, Neoplasms, Signal Transduction, Reactive Oxygen Species

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