Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Their Natural Flavonoid Compounds in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: A Review

Molecules. 2023 Jun 29;28(13):5082. doi: 10.3390/molecules28135082.

Abstract

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common types of cancer in women with a high mortality rate, and the treatment of OC is prone to high recurrence rates and side effects. Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) is a herbal medicine with good anti-cancer activity, and several studies have shown that SB and its flavonoids have some anti-OC properties. This paper elucidated the common pathogenesis of OC, including cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation, cell invasion and metastasis, apoptosis and autophagy, drug resistance and angiogenesis. The mechanisms of SB and its flavonoids, wogonin, baicalein, baicalin, Oroxylin A, and scutellarein, in the treatment of OC, are revealed, such as wogonin inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, inhibits invasion and metastasis, and increases the cytotoxicity of the drug. Baicalein also inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression etc. Analyzing their advantages and disadvantages in treating OC provides a new perspective on the role of SB and its flavonoids in OC treatment. It serves as a resource for future OC research and development.

Keywords: Chinese medicine; Scutellaria baicalensis; flavonoid; ovarian cancer; pathogenesis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Flavanones* / pharmacology
  • Flavanones* / therapeutic use
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Flavonoids / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Scutellaria baicalensis
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Substances

  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Flavanones
  • Flavonoids
  • Plant Extracts

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Program of Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province (Grant No. 2023NSFSC0687 and 2023YFS0476), Xinglin Scholar Research Promotion Project of Chengdu University of TCM (grant nos. QJRC2022028 and QJJJ2022010), Major scientific research problems and critical topics of medical technology problems of China Medical Education Association (2022KTZ016) and “The Hundred Talents Program” of the Hospital of the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (grant no. 22-B09).