Probing into Therapeutic Anti-Cancer Potential of Apigenin: Recent Trends and Future Directions

Background: Natural products represent a therapeutic option for the treatment of inflammation-associated diseases. Flavonoids which are one of the special categories of such natural products, have previously shown promising therapeutic potential. Objectives: The current review discusses the synthetic preview and anti-inflammatory potential of apigenin along with the underlying molecular mechanism in chronic human diseases especially cancer. In addition, the relevant patents on the therapeutic potential of apigenin have also been mentioned. Methods: A literature search was carried out using PubMed/Science, Google Scholar, etc. which was further expended by the different combination of keywords: apigenin, inflammation, mechanism, therapeutic potential, cancer, etc. Patent information was retrieved by searching the key terms: apigenin, inflammation, therapeutic potential from various databanks including Espacenet, Google Patents, Free Patents Online and Mendeley of WIPO, USPTO, SIPO, JPO, KIPO and EPO databases. Results: A total of 76 references have been found relevant with the theme of the manuscript. These citations have described recent ongoing advances in the area of inflammation and cancer with respect to apigenin. Conclusion: Studies related to the anti-inflammatory and anticancer potential of apigenin have been explored through this review article. Moreover, the patent analysis of apigenin has further strengthened its therapeutic role. Probing into the therapeutic properties of apigenin, further adds value to this molecule in terms of its downregulation of major inflammatory and cancer-associated signaling pathways. The article would simultaneously assist the scientific community to precisely understand the role of apigenin and design novel anti-cancer therapies.