Description
Butein is a flavonoid originally found in the bark of Rhus verniciflua and the flowers of Butea monosperma. Butein exhibits anticancer chemotherapeutic, anti-angiogenic, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-fibrotic activities. In lung cancer cells, butein decreases expression of COX-2, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis; this compound also inhibits tumor growth of prostate cancer xenografts in vivo. Butein inhibits phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR, and their downstream targets and suppresses VEGF-induced cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation in endothelial progenitor cells; it also inhibits vessel sprouting from aortic rings in vivo. In animal models of spinal cord injury, butein decreases expression of NF-κB and IκBα, inhibits activation of caspase 3, and suppresses infiltration of neutrophils. In cellular models, this compound increases levels of glutathione and activity of catalase and glutathione S-transferase and decreases levels of lactate dehydrogenase. Butein also acts as a free radical scavenger. Additionally, butein prevents hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, downregulating expression of TGF-β, TIMP-1/2, and MMP-2 and inhibiting activation of NF-κB, p38, JNK, and Smad3.
References
Li Y, Ma C, Qian M, et al. Butein induces cell apoptosis and inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2 expression in A549 lung cancer cells. Mol Med Rep. 2014 Feb;9(2):763-7. PMID: 24337484.
Chung CH, Chang CH, Chen SS, et al. Butein Inhibits Angiogenesis of Human Endothelial Progenitor Cells via the Translation Dependent Signaling Pathway. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:943187. PMID: 23840271.
Lu M, Wang S, Han X, et al. Butein inhibits NF-κB activation and reduces infiltration of inflammatory cells and apoptosis after spinal cord injury in rats. Neurosci Lett. 2013 May 10;542:87-91. PMID: 23499960.
Szuster-Ciesielska A, Mizerska-Dudka M, Daniluk J, et al. Butein inhibits ethanol-induced activation of liver stellate cells through TGF-β, NFκB, p38, and JNK signaling pathways and inhibition of oxidative stress. J Gastroenterol. 2013 Feb;48(2):222-37. PMID: 22722906.
Sehrawat A, Kumar V. Butein imparts free radical scavenging, anti-oxidative and proapoptotic properties in the flower extracts of Butea monosperma. Biocell. 2012 Aug;36(2):63-71. PMID: 23185781.
Khan N, Adhami VM, Afaq F, et al. Butein induces apoptosis and inhibits prostate tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2012 Jun 1;16(11):1195-204. PMID: 22114764.
