Description
ButeinisaflavonoidoriginallyfoundinthebarkofRhusvernicifluaandtheflowersofButeamonosperma.Buteinexhibitsanticancerchemotherapeutic,anti-angiogenic,neuroprotective,anti-inflammatory,antioxidative,andanti-fibroticactivities.Inlungcancercells,buteindecreasesexpressionofCOX-2,inducingcellcyclearrestandapoptosis;thiscompoundalsoinhibitstumorgrowthofprostatecancerxenograftsinvivo.ButeininhibitsphosphorylationofAkt,mTOR,andtheirdownstreamtargetsandsuppressesVEGF-inducedcellproliferation,migration,andtubeformationinendothelialProgenitorcells;italsoinhibitsvesselsproutingfromaorticringsinvivo.Inanimalmodelsofspinalcordinjury,buteindecreasesexpressionofNF-κBandIκBα,inhibitsactivationofcaspase3,andsuppressesinfiltrationofneutrophils.Incellularmodels,thiscompoundincreaseslevelsofglutathioneandactivityofcatalaseandglutathioneS-transferaseanddecreaseslevelsoflactatedehydrogenase.ButeinalsoactsasafreerADIcalscavenger.Additionally,buteinpreventshepaticstellatecell(HSC)activation,downregulatingexpressionofTGF-β,TIMP-1/2,andMMP-2andinhibitingactivationofNF-κB,p38,JNK,andSmad3.