Antioxidant and anticancer potentials of edible flowers: where do we stand?

Fakhri S., Tomas M., Çapanoğlu Güven E., Hussain Y., Abbaszadeh F., Lu B., ...More

CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION, vol.62, no.31, pp.8589-8645, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Review
  • Volume: 62 Issue: 31
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1931022
  • Journal Name: CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Biotechnology Research Abstracts, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, EMBASE, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MEDLINE, Metadex, SportDiscus, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.8589-8645
  • Keywords: Apoptosis, cancer, edible flowers, inflammation, oxidative stress, pharmacology, signaling pathway, therapeutic targets
  • Istanbul Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Edible flowers are attracting special therapeutic attention and their administration is on the rise. Edible flowers play pivotal modulatory roles on oxidative stress and related interconnected apoptotic/inflammatory pathways toward the treatment of cancer. In this review, we highlighted the phytochemical content and therapeutic applications of edible flowers, as well as their modulatory potential on the oxidative stress pathways and apoptotic/inflammatory mediators, resulting in anticancer effects. Edible flowers are promising sources of phytochemicals (e.g., phenolic compounds, carotenoids, terpenoids) with several therapeutic effects. They possess anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-depressant, anxiolytic, anti-obesity, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective effects. Edible flowers potentially modulate oxidative stress by targeting erythroid nuclear transcription factor-2/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (Nrf2/ERK/MAPK), reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant response elements (AREs). As the interconnected pathways to oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappa B), interleukins (ILs) as well as apoptotic pathways such as Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), Bcl-2, caspase and cytochrome C are critical targets of edible flowers in combating cancer. In this regard, edible flowers could play promising anticancer effects by targeting oxidative stress and downstream dysregulated pathways.