Luteolin

Luteolin (3′,4′,5′,7′-tetrahydroxyflavone), a polyphenolic compound belongs to flavones subclass of flavonoids. Luteolin is commonly found in plants like celery, green peppers and chamomile tea.[1] Luteolin is one of the major flavonoids present in the flower extract of Hieracium pannosum Boiss,[2] aerial part of Dracocephalum kotschyi,[3] and contributes to the antioxidant potential of the plant.[2][3] Luteolin possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties,[3][4] and exerts anti-tumor potential primarily through apoptosis.[1][3] Luteolin exerts its apoptotic activity through downregulation of protein kinase B (Akt) pathway leading to caspase mediated apoptosis. Luteolin also resensitizes cancer cells to therapeutics.[1] Luteolin regulates the inflammatory genes and reduces nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokine production.[4] The anti-inflammatory property of luteolin implicates it as a potential therapeutic agent for the neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer′s disease.[5] In plants, luteolin induces nodulation protein F (nodF) gene.[6][7]

Luteolin has been used:

• to induce and elucidate the apoptotic pathway in renal cell carcinoma 786-O cells[1]
• as an additive in M9 minimal medium to induce nodF gene expression[6]
• as a reference standard to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse luteolin using reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (RP-HPLC-DAD)[2]
• as a reaction supplement for β-galactosidase assay[7]
• to elucidate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of luteolin in pseudorabies virus infected RAW264.7 cell line by measuring the anti-inflammatory mediators production and also cell viability and cytotoxicity assay[4]

Hydroxylated flavone derivative, a strong antioxidant and radical scavenger. Suggested to play a role in prevention of cancer, possibly via the inhibition of fatty acid synthase activity.