Tier 3 — preclinical

The Potential Role of Apigenin in Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Arshad Husain Rahmani, Mohammed A. Alsahli, Ahmad Almatroudi, Mashael Abdullah Almogbel, Amjad Ali Khan, Shehwaz Anwar, Saleh A. Almatroodi
Molecules 2022 27(18):6051

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 36144783
PubMed Central
PMC9505045
DOI
10.3390/molecules27186051
Funding
Funded by the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia, project QU-IF-2-2-1-26520.
Competing interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Study snapshot

DesignNarrative review of apigenin in cancer prevention and treatment research
ModelPublished cancer-cell, animal and limited human-context literature
SampleNot applicable; review article.
InterventionApigenin alone or in combination with anticancer agents across published experimental models.
DurationNot applicable.
EndpointsApoptosis; Cell cycle; Angiogenesis; PI3K/AKT signaling; NF-kB signaling; MAPK/ERK signaling; STAT3 signaling; Therapy sensitization

What the study showed, in plain terms

This review catalogues the anticancer mechanisms reported for apigenin, including effects on apoptosis, cell cycle, angiogenesis and several signaling pathways. It is a useful mechanistic map, but the paper itself concludes that clinical trials are still needed before apigenin can be considered an established cancer intervention.

Key findings

The reviewed literature links apigenin to modulation of tumor-suppressor signaling, apoptosis, angiogenesis, PI3K/AKT, NF-kB, MAPK/ERK and STAT3, with experimental evidence of synergy with some anticancer drugs.

What this study can and cannot tell us

The review is dominated by cell and animal studies, with heterogeneous doses and cancer models. It does not demonstrate reduced cancer incidence, improved survival or treatment efficacy from isolated apigenin in controlled human trials.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology