Isovitexin / COX2/PTGS2 Cancer Research Results

IVT, Isovitexin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:

Isovitexin - Apigenin-6-C-Glucoside

Alternative Names: Apigenin-6-C-glucoside, apigenin-6-C-β-D-glucopyranoside

Type: Flavone C-glycoside / apigenin derivative

Function: Isovitexin is a naturally occurring C-glycosylated flavone and positional isomer of vitexin, with glucose attached to apigenin at the C-6 position. It exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, metabolic, neuroprotective, and antiproliferative activities and can influence NF-κB, Nrf2, MAPK, PI3K/AKT, AMPK, apoptotic, and oxidative-stress signaling.

-similar to Vitexin

Isovitexin — Isovitexin (IVT; ISV; IVX), also known as apigenin-6-C-glucoside or 6-C-β-D-glucopyranosylapigenin, is a naturally occurring C-glycosylated flavone and positional isomer of vitexin, in which glucose is attached to apigenin at carbon 6 rather than carbon 8. It occurs in food and medicinal plants including mung bean, rice, passionflower, and other botanical sources. It is formally classified as a flavone C-glycoside / apigenin derivative. Compared with vitexin, isovitexin has a smaller but distinct experimental literature and should be maintained as a separate compound. Anticancer activity remains preclinical.
-buckwheat sprouts contain orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin, and rutin

Primary mechanisms (ranked):

  1. Suppression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR survival signaling, associated with reduced proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT, and increased apoptosis.
  2. Mitochondrial apoptosis through Bax induction, Bcl-2/Mcl-1 suppression, cytochrome-c release, caspase-3 activation, and PARP cleavage.
  3. ER-stress-driven apoptosis and pro-death autophagy involving IRE1α/XBP1s, GRP78, CHOP, Beclin-1, ATG3/ATG5, and LC3-II.
  4. Suppression of cancer stemness, including miR-34a induction and reduction of CD44, ABCG2, ALDH1, and NANOG.
  5. Inhibition of EMT, migration, and invasion, substantially linked to PI3K/AKT/mTOR suppression in colorectal cancer models.
  6. ROS/NRF2 modulation is strongly context-dependent: isovitexin generally decreases ROS and activates NRF2/HO-1 in nonmalignant oxidative-injury models; a generalized pro-oxidant anticancer mechanism has not been established for isovitexin.
  7. Suppression of inflammatory MAPK/NF-κB signaling in nonmalignant inflammatory models.
  8. CYP17A1 inhibition has recently been proposed in breast cancer, but current evidence is substantially less mature than the apoptosis and PI3K/AKT/mTOR evidence.

Bioavailability / PK relevance: Oral exposure is a significant translational limitation. C-glycosylation gives isovitexin greater chemical stability than many O-glycosides, but direct intestinal absorption is limited and substantial material reaches the intestine for microbial metabolism. Rat studies demonstrate absorption and broad tissue distribution after oral plant-extract administration, while intravenous isovitexin has a plasma half-life of approximately 1 hour and distributes particularly to kidney, intestine, and liver. Human isovitexin-specific PK data are not established.

In-vitro vs systemic exposure relevance: Many mechanistic experiments use micromolar concentrations that may be difficult to reproduce as circulating unchanged isovitexin after ordinary dietary or oral exposure. Consequently, high-concentration cell-culture findings should not be interpreted as demonstrating clinically achievable anticancer activity. Intestinal exposure and metabolites may be more pharmacologically relevant after oral administration.

Clinical evidence status: Preclinical. Anticancer evidence consists primarily of cell studies and rodent/xenograft experiments. No established human anticancer efficacy, randomized clinical trial evidence, or approved oncology indication was identified. Isovitexin has an FDA substance identifier but this does not constitute drug approval. Long-term human safety, therapeutic dosing, drug interactions, and cancer-specific pharmacokinetics remain insufficiently defined.

Mechanistic Profile

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 PI3K AKT mTOR survival signaling ↓ p-PI3K, ↓ p-AKT, ↓ p-mTOR Context-dependent ↓ proliferation, ↓ survival, ↓ invasion, ↑ apoptosis Strong direct evidence in colon cancer and also implicated in experimental AD. IGF-1 partially reverses anticancer effects, supporting pathway involvement.
2 Mitochondrial apoptosis ↑ Bax, ↑ cytochrome-c release, ↑ caspase-3, ↑ PARP cleavage, ↓ Bcl-2, ↓ Mcl-1 ↓ apoptosis during oxidative injury ↑ cancer-cell apoptosis Direction differs appropriately by cellular context: pro-apoptotic in malignant cells but cytoprotective in several nonmalignant injury models.
3 ER stress and unfolded protein response ↑ IRE1α, ↑ XBP1s, ↑ GRP78, ↑ CHOP Not established ↑ apoptosis and autophagy ER-stress inhibition substantially reverses isovitexin-induced apoptosis and autophagy in liver cancer cells, supporting a causal mechanism.
4 Autophagy ↑ Beclin-1, ↑ ATG3, ↑ ATG5, ↑ LC3-II Context-dependent ↑ pro-death autophagy In hepatoma models, autophagy facilitates rather than protects against isovitexin-induced apoptosis. Autophagy can be protective in neurological injury models.
5 Cancer stemness and miR-34a ↑ miR-34a, ↓ CD44, ↓ ABCG2, ↓ ALDH1, ↓ NANOG Not established ↓ stemness and apoptosis resistance Demonstrated in SK-Hep-1 hepatocellular carcinoma spheroids. miR-34a inhibition attenuates isovitexin activity.
6 EMT migration and invasion ↓ EMT, ↓ migration, ↓ invasion Little cytotoxicity reported in normal colonic epithelial cells ↓ metastatic phenotype Closely linked to PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibition in colorectal cancer models.
7 ROS and oxidative stress Context-dependent ↓ ROS, ↓ MDA, ↑ GSH, ↑ SOD Antioxidant cytoprotection Unlike isoorientin, a robust ROS↑ anticancer mechanism should not currently be assigned to isovitexin. Most direct isovitexin evidence supports ROS↓ in nonmalignant oxidative-stress models.
8 NRF2 HO-1 antioxidant response Not established as a core anticancer mechanism ↑ NRF2, ↑ HO-1 ↑ antioxidant defense Secondary/contextual mechanism demonstrated in lung, liver, kidney, ageing, and oxidative-injury models.
9 NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signaling Context-dependent ↓ NF-κB, ↓ MAPK activation ↓ inflammatory signaling Well supported in inflammatory injury models but substantially less established as a direct cancer-cell mechanism.
10 CYP17A1 ↓ CYP17A1 activity Not established Potential ↓ steroidogenic growth signaling Recent breast-cancer evidence combines computational target identification with experimental MCF-7 evaluation. Treat as emerging rather than core.
11 Clinical Translation Constraint High experimental concentrations; no demonstrated therapeutic human exposure Human systemic PK and long-term safety insufficiently characterized Limits clinical extrapolation Low gastrointestinal absorption, extensive intestinal disposition and metabolism, lack of cancer trials, and absence of validated clinical dosing are major constraints.


Alzheimer's disease relevance: Isovitexin has meaningful but entirely preclinical AD relevance. Direct evidence includes inhibition of AChE and BChE in biochemical assays, protection against Aβ-induced neuronal toxicity, and improvement of cognition, Aβ burden, neuroinflammation, and autophagic dysfunction in an STZ-induced mouse model. The latter study links benefit to miR-107-mediated suppression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. These findings justify retaining AD as a disease category, but they do not establish clinical efficacy.

Primary mechanisms (ranked):

  1. miR-107-mediated suppression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR and restoration of autophagic regulation.
  2. Reduction of experimental Aβ burden and Aβ-associated neuronal toxicity.
  3. Reduction of neuroinflammation, including TNF-α, IL-6, and caspase-1 signaling.
  4. AChE and BChE inhibition in biochemical assays.
  5. Antioxidant/neuroprotective activity and protection from excitotoxic injury.

Clinical evidence status: Preclinical only. No human Alzheimer's disease efficacy data or validated therapeutic dosing were identified.

Alzheimer's Disease Mechanisms

Rank Pathway / Axis Modulation Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 miR-107 PI3K AKT mTOR ↑ miR-107, ↓ PI3K/AKT/mTOR Improved autophagic regulation and cognition Mechanistically supported in an STZ-induced mouse AD model using antagomiR-107.
2 Amyloid beta pathology ↓ Aβ ↓ amyloid burden and toxicity Reduced Aβ burden in the mouse AD model and protected PC12 cells from Aβ25-35 toxicity.
3 Autophagy Normalization of LC3-II, ATG7 and Beclin-1 Improved proteostatic function Direction is better represented as normalization rather than simply ↑ or ↓ because AD-associated autophagic dysfunction is model-dependent.
4 Neuroinflammation ↓ TNF-α, ↓ IL-6, ↓ caspase-1 ↓ inflammatory neuronal injury Demonstrated in the STZ mouse model.
5 Cholinesterases ↓ AChE, ↓ BChE Potential preservation of cholinergic signaling Direct biochemical inhibition; clinical relevance and achievable brain concentration are unknown.
6 Excitotoxic neuronal injury ↓ glutamate-induced neurotoxicity ↑ neuronal survival Observed in mouse hippocampal slice experiments.
7 Clinical Translation Constraint Human efficacy and CNS exposure not established Limits AD translation Oral bioavailability and human brain exposure are uncertain; all disease-specific evidence remains experimental.


COX2/PTGS2, cycloocygenase-2 (Cox-2) mRNA and Cox-2 protein: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: HalifaxProj(inhibit)
Type:
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an enzyme that plays a critical role in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, which are lipid compounds involved in various physiological processes, including inflammation, pain, and fever. COX-2 is an inducible enzyme, meaning its expression is typically low in normal tissues but can be upregulated in response to inflammatory stimuli, growth factors, and certain oncogenic signals.
-Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin biosynthesis, plays a key role in inflammation and circulatory homeostasis.
-COX-2 is an inducible enzyme that is upregulated in response to pro-inflammatory signals, including cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α) and growth factors.

COX-2 is often overexpressed in various tumors, including colorectal, breast, lung, and prostate cancers.
The prostaglandins produced by COX-2, particularly prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), have several effects that can facilitate cancer progression:
Cell Proliferation: PGE2 can promote the proliferation of cancer cells by activating signaling pathways such as the PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways.
Nonselective NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2. Epidemiological studies have suggested that regular use of NSAIDs may reduce the risk of certain cancers, particularly colorectal cancer.
Drugs specifically targeting COX-2, such as celecoxib, have been developed.

COX-2 and xanthine oxidase are ROS-producing pro-oxidant enzymes that contribute to inflammation. Elevated COX‑2 levels, often found in inflammatory conditions or certain types of cancers, can contribute to increased production of ROS.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
7907- Api,  IVT,    Anticancer Potential of Apigenin and Isovitexin with Focus on Oncogenic Metabolism in Cancer Stem Cells
- Review, Var, NA
ChemoSen↑, CSCs↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, PI3K↓, MMP↓, TumMeta↓, MAPK↓, VEGF↓, MMP9↓, TGF-β↓, Inflam↓, COX2/PTGS2↓, IL6↓, NF-kB↓, TumCCA↑, P53↑, cycD1/CCND1↓, BAX↑, Casp↓, Bcl-2↓, CD133↓, Nanog↓, SOX2↓, Akt↓, TumCP↓, TumCMig↓, YAP/TEAD↓, CCN2/CTGF↓, CCN1/CYR61↓, SIRT3↓, SIRT6↓, PCNA↓, DNMT1↓, miR-34a↑,
7896- IVT,  VT,    Molecular targets of vitexin and isovitexin in cancer therapy: a critical review
- Review, Var, NA
chemoPv↑, Dose↝, ACE/ACE1↓, Ca+2↓, *iNOS↓, *COX2/PTGS2↓, *ROS↓, *Stroke↓, Apoptosis↑, MMP↓, Bcl-2↓, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, TumAuto↑, HSP90↑, ER Stress↑, Hif1a↓, TumMeta↓, angioG↓, Tf↓, MAPK↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, TumCCA↑, FOXO3↓, mTOR↓,
7888- IVT,    Isovitexin Exerts Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Activities on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury by Inhibiting MAPK and NF-κB and Activating HO-1/Nrf2 Pathways
- vitro+vivo, Nor, NA
*Inflam↓, *iNOS↓, *COX2/PTGS2↓, *ROS↓, *Apoptosis↓, *p‑MAPK↓, *NF-kB↓, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *ICAM-1↓, *VCAM-1↓, *MPO↓, *MDA↓, *GSH↑, *SOD↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 3 of 3

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 3

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


NA, unassigned(tgid=0) ⓘ

ACE/ACE1↓, 1,   CCN1/CYR61↓, 1,  

Redox & Oxidative Stress(tgid=1) ⓘ

SIRT3↓, 1,  

Metal & Cofactor Biology(tgid=2) ⓘ

Tf↓, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics(tgid=3) ⓘ

MMP↓, 2,  

Cell Death(tgid=5) ⓘ

Akt↓, 2,   Apoptosis↑, 1,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 2,   Casp↓, 1,   Casp3↑, 1,   Casp9↑, 1,   MAPK↓, 2,   YAP/TEAD↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress(tgid=8) ⓘ

ER Stress↑, 1,   HSP90↑, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes(tgid=9) ⓘ

TumAuto↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair(tgid=10) ⓘ

DNMT1↓, 1,   P53↑, 1,   PCNA↓, 1,   SIRT6↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence(tgid=11) ⓘ

cycD1/CCND1↓, 1,   TumCCA↑, 2,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State(tgid=12) ⓘ

CD133↓, 1,   CSCs↓, 1,   FOXO3↓, 1,   miR-34a↑, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   Nanog↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 2,   SOX2↓, 1,   Wnt↓, 1,  

Migration(tgid=13) ⓘ

Ca+2↓, 1,   CCN2/CTGF↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   TGF-β↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,   TumMeta↓, 2,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 2,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature(tgid=14) ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,   Hif1a↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling(tgid=16) ⓘ

COX2/PTGS2↓, 1,   IL6↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance(tgid=21) ⓘ

ChemoSen↑, 1,   Dose↝, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers(tgid=22) ⓘ

IL6↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes(tgid=23) ⓘ

chemoPv↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 51

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


NA, unassigned(tgid=0) ⓘ

Stroke↓, 1,  

Redox & Oxidative Stress(tgid=1) ⓘ

GSH↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   MDA↓, 1,   MPO↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↓, 2,   SOD↑, 1,  

Cell Death(tgid=5) ⓘ

Apoptosis↓, 1,   iNOS↓, 2,   p‑MAPK↓, 1,  

Migration(tgid=13) ⓘ

VCAM-1↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling(tgid=16) ⓘ

COX2/PTGS2↓, 2,   ICAM-1↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 16

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: COX2/PTGS2, cycloocygenase-2 (Cox-2) mRNA and Cox-2 protein
3 Isovitexin
1 Apigenin (mainly Parsley)
1 Vitexin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:463  Target#:66  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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