Baicalein as Promising Anticancer Agent: A Comprehensive Analysis on Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives

Morshed AKMH 1 , Paul S 2 , Hossain A 3 , Basak T 4 , Hossain MS 5 , Hasan MM 3 Show all authors , Hasibuzzaman MA 6 , Rahaman TI 7 , Mia MAR 8 , Shing P 9 , Sohel M 10 , Bibi S 11 , Dey D 3 , Biswas P 12 , Hasan MN 12 , Ming LC 13 , Tan CS 14

Affiliations 

  • 1 Pathology and Pathophysiology, Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, China
  • 2 Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
  • 3 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Life Science Faculty, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj 8100, Bangladesh
  • 4 Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, East West University, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
  • 5 Centre for Sustainability of Ecosystem and Earth Resources (Pusat ALAM), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Gambang, Kuantan 26300, Malaysia
  • 6 Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
  • 7 Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Life Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj 8100, Bangladesh
  • 8 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan 25200, Malaysia
  • 9 Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh
  • 10 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Primeasia University, Banani, Dhaka 1213, Bangladesh
  • 11 Department of Bioscience, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
  • 12 Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh
  • 13 School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City 47500, Malaysia
  • 14 School of Pharmacy, KPJ Healthcare University College, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Cancers (Basel), 2023 Apr 03;15(7).
PMID: 37046789 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072128

Abstract

Despite significant therapeutic advancements for cancer, an atrocious global burden (for example, health and economic) and radio- and chemo-resistance limit their effectiveness and result in unfavorable health consequences. Natural compounds are generally considered safer than synthetic drugs, and their use in cancer treatment alone, or in combination with conventional therapies, is increasingly becoming accepted. Interesting outcomes from pre-clinical trials using Baicalein in combination with conventional medicines have been reported, and some of them have also undergone clinical trials in later stages. As a result, we investigated the prospects of Baicalein, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the stems of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Oroxylum indicum Kurz, which targets a wide range of molecular changes that are involved in cancer development. In other words, this review is primarily driven by the findings from studies of Baicalein therapy in several cancer cell populations based on promising pre-clinical research. The modifications of numerous signal transduction mechanisms and transcriptional agents have been highlighted as the major players for Baicalein's anti-malignant properties at the micro level. These include AKT serine/threonine protein kinase B (AKT) as well as PI3K/Akt/mTOR, matrix metalloproteinases-2 & 9 (MMP-2 & 9), Wnt/-catenin, Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), NF-κB, Caspase-3/8/9, Smad4, Notch 1/Hes, Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1 (Keap 1), Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Src/Id1, ROS signaling, miR 183/ezrin, and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling cascades. The promise of Baicalein as an anti-inflammatory to anti-apoptotic/anti-angiogenic/anti-metastatic medicinal element for treating various malignancies and its capability to inhibit malignant stem cells, evidence of synergistic effects, and design of nanomedicine-based drugs are altogether well supported by the data presented in this review study.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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