Luteolin and Triple Negative Breast Cancer

What Are Plant Flavonoids?

Dietary flavonoids are beneficial natural plant chemicals found in many foods and drinks of plant origin. There are many different types or subgroups of plant flavonoids, with a wide range of biological activity and effects. Classes of Flavonoids:

Flavones
Anthrocyanins
Flavanols – (with an a)
Flavonols – (with an o)
Isoflavones
Flavanones

♦ What is Luteolin?

Luteolin belongs to the flavones subgroup of plant flavonoids. Luteolin is found in high abundance in the following foods:

Celery
Parsley
Thyme
Chamomile Tea
Green Pepper
Perilla Leaf

Luteolin and Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Findings reported from both animal studies and in vitro studies strongly suggest that luteolin may inhibit metastasis of triple negative breast cancer cells.¹·²

In Vivo (Animal Studies)

Luteolin administered against a particularly aggressive TNBC cell line in animals, showed reduced metastasis to the lungs.¹·²
Similar findings have also been reported when luteolin was administered to animals treated with a less aggressive TNBC cell line.¹·²

In Vitro Studies

In vitro studies showed an increase in apoptosis (cell death) of triple negative breast cancer cells, as well as reduced tumour migration.¹·²

References:

Cook MT, Liang Y, Besch-Williford C, Hyder SM. Luteolin inhibits lung metastasis, cell migration, and viability of triple-negative breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer : Targets and Therapy. 2017. 9: 9-19.
Lin D, Kuang G, Wan J, Zhang X, Li H, Gong X, Li H. Luteolin suppresses the metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer by reversing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via downregulation of β-catenin expression. Oncology Reports. 2017 Feb; 37(2): 895-902.
Sun DW, Zhang HD, Mao CF, Chen W, et al. Luteolin Inhibits Breast Cancer Development and Progression In Vitro and In Vivo by Suppressing Notch Signaling and Regulating MiRNAs. Cell Physiology and Biochemistry. 2015; 37(5): 1693–1711.
Varghese E, Samuel SM, Abotaleb M, Cheema S, Mamtani R, Büsselberg D. The “Yin and Yang” of Natural Compounds in Anticancer Therapy of Triple-Negative Breast Cancers. Cancers. 2018. 10(10): 346.
Yong Lin, Ranxin Shi, Xia Wang, Han-Ming Shen. Luteolin, a flavonoid with potentials for cancer prevention and therapy. Curr. Cancer Drug Targets. 2008. 8: 634–646.
Surangi H. Thilakarathna, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe. Flavonoid Bioavailability and Attempts for Bioavailability Enhancement. Nutrients. 2013 Sept; 5(9): 3367-3387.