Tangeretin, a natural flavonoid with promising anticancer effects: A comprehensive review

Objectives

The search for improved cancer treatments continues due to drug resistance and adverse side effects of current therapies. Flavonoids offer a potentially promising alternative, with tangeretin emerging as a notable natural product with an anti-cancer effect.

Key findings

Tangeretin has shown remarkable potential in impeding cancer cell progression. It possesses antimutagenic properties and may prevent cancer development upon exposure to mutagens. Additionally, tangeretin disrupts the cell cycle, aids in DNA repair, and reduces cancer risk. It can trigger intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, inhibit tumour angiogenesis and metastasis, and induce autophagy while alleviating inflammation caused by chemotherapy. Notably, tangeretin has demonstrated synergistic interactions with chemotherapeutic agents such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin, and 5-FU, enhancing their efficacy and potentially overcoming drug resistance. These anticancer effects are partly achieved through modulation of signalling pathways like MAPK, Notch, and PI3K/Akt/mtor. Importantly, tangeretin exhibits versatility by effectively combating various cancer types.

Summary

This comprehensive review underscores tangeretin’s multifaceted pharmacological attributes and advocates for its inclusion in clinical studies as a promising addition to the arsenal of cancer-fighting therapies, particularly in combination with standard chemotherapeutics.