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Review
. 2022 Apr 20;11(9):1117.
doi: 10.3390/plants11091117.

Chemical Structure, Sources and Role of Bioactive Flavonoids in Cancer Prevention: A Review

Georgiana Drețcanu  1 , Ioana Știrbu  2 , Nicolae Leoplold  2 , Daniel Cruceriu  3   4 , Corina Danciu  5 , Andreea Stănilă  1 , Anca Fărcaș  1 , Ileana Monica Borda  6 , Cristian Iuhas  7 , Zorița Diaconeasa  1
Affiliations
Review

Chemical Structure, Sources and Role of Bioactive Flavonoids in Cancer Prevention: A Review

Georgiana Drețcanu et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

There has been a major shift in the collective mindset around the world in recent decades, both in terms of food and in terms of the treatment of chronic diseases. Increasing numbers of people are choosing to prevent rather than treat, which is why many consumers are choosing plant-based diets, mainly due to their bioactive compounds. A significant case of bioactive compound is flavonoids-a wide subclass of an even wider class of phytochemicals: polyphenols. Flavonoids are a broad topic of study for researchers due to their potential in the prevention and treatment of a broad range of cancers. The aim of this review is to inform/update the reader on the diversity, accessibility and importance of flavonoids as biomolecules that are essential for optimal health, focusing on the potential of these compounds in the prevention of various types of cancer. Along with conventional sources, this review presents some of the possible methods for obtaining significant amounts of flavonoids based on a slightly different approach, genetic manipulation.

Keywords: antioxidants; cancer; flavonoids; genetic manipulation; plant-based diet; polyphenols.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flavonoids classification and their possible chemical structure (created with BioRender.com, accessed on 6 April 2022).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Neoflavonoids classification (created with BioRender.com, accessed on 6 April 2022).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proposed signaling networks and cell physiological effects mediated by flavonoids.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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