Role of scutellarin in human cancer—A review

ABSTRACT

Scutellarin is a flavone glycoside isolated from Erigeron breviscapus, a perennial herb of the daisy family Asteraceae.The scutellarin-rich extract of E. breviscapus, known as breviscapine, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicineto improve blood circulation and cerebral blood supply. There is increasing scientific evidence affirming that scutellarinpossesses pharmacological properties, notably, anti-cancer properties. This review is focused on scutellarin, itschemistry, and anti-cancer properties. Scutellarin induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest and inhibits proliferation andprogression of a wide spectrum of human cancer cells. Of particular interest are the multiple molecular targets andpathways of scutellarin, structure-activity relationships of its cytotoxicity, and future research. Sources of informationwere from ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and PubMed.