Description
Biochanin A is an isoflavone/flavonoid found in plants in the Fabaceae family, such as clover, soy, and alfalfa. Biochanin A exhibits anticancer, anti-metastatic, estrogenic, neuroprotective, anti-osteoporotic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities. Biochanin A may activate PPARα and PPARγ. In pancreatic cancer cells, biochanin A inhibits cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion, and suppresses activation of Akt and MAPKs. In other cellular models, biochanin A acts as a phytoestrogen and increases expression of ERβ. Biochanin A also improves cognitive deficits in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. In stem cells, this compound inhibits adipocyte differentiation and increases osteoblast differentiation. Additionally, biochanin A inhibits replication of influenza virus and suppresses production of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α in vitro.
References
Wang L, Waltenberger B, Pferschy-Wenzig EM, et al. Natural product agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ): a review. Biochem Pharmacol. 2014 Jul 30. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 25083916.
Biradar SM, Joshi H, Chheda TK. Biochanin-A ameliorates behavioural and neurochemical derangements in cognitive-deficit mice for the betterment of Alzheimer's disease. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2014 Apr;33(4):369-82. PMID: 23900307.
Bhardwaj V, Tadinada SM, Jain A, et al. Biochanin A reduces pancreatic cancer survival and progression. Anticancer Drugs. 2014 Mar;25(3):296-302. PMID: 24201306.
Nynca A, Swigonska S, Piasecka J, et al. Biochanin A affects steroidogenesis and estrogen receptor-β expression in porcine granulosa cells. Theriogenology. 2013 Oct 15;80(7):821-8. PMID: 23953692.
Su SJ, Yeh YT, Su SH, et al. Biochanin a promotes osteogenic but inhibits adipogenic differentiation: evidence with primary adipose-derived stem cells. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:846039. PMID: 23843885.
Sithisarn P, Michaelis M, Schubert-Zsilavecz M, et al. Differential antiviral and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of the flavonoids biochanin A and baicalein in H5N1 influenza A virus-infected cells. Antiviral Res. 2013 Jan;97(1):41-8. PMID: 23098745.
