Chrysin / NRF2 Cancer Research Results

CHr, Chrysin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Chrysin is found in passion flower and honey. It is a flavonoid.
-To reach plasma levels that might more closely match the concentrations used in in vitro studies (typically micromolar), considerably high doses or advanced delivery mechanisms would be necessary.
Chrysin is widely summarized as modulating PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways in cancer.

-Note half-life 2 hrs, BioAv very poor often <1%
Pathways:
Graphical Pathways

- may induce ROS production
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Ca+2↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓
- May Lower AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓">NRF2↓, GSH↓ HO1↓
- May Raise AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑">NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓,
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, TIMP2, uPA↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, FAK↓, RhoA↓, NF-κB↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓, P53↑, HSP↓,
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓, TOP1↓, TET1↓,
- inhibits glycolysis and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, HK2↓, PDKs↓, HK2↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, PDGF↓, EGFR↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, AMPK↓, ERK↓, JNK, TrxR,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells TSF Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 PI3K → AKT (± mTOR) survival axis ↓ PI3K/AKT (often ↓ p-AKT; downstream growth signals ↓) ↔ R, G Growth/survival suppression Frequently reported hub effect; contributes to reduced proliferation and sensitization to stress/apoptosis programs.
2 Intrinsic apoptosis (p53/Bcl-2 family → caspase-9/3) ↑ p53 axis (context); Bax↑/Bcl-2↓; ↑ caspase-9/3; apoptosis ↑ ↔ (generally less activation) G Apoptosis execution Common endpoint across many tumor models; often downstream of survival-pathway suppression and stress signaling.
3 ER stress / UPR (PERK and related arms) ER stress ↑; UPR activation ↑ ↔ R, G Stress-to-death coupling ER stress has been directly shown in chrysin-treated cancer cells and can couple to apoptosis.
4 JAK / STAT3 signaling ↓ STAT3 signaling (context) ↔ R, G Anti-survival transcription STAT3 inhibition is reported in cancer models and often aligns with reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis.
5 ROS / oxidative stress (context-dependent) ROS modulation (often ↑ mitochondrial ROS in tumor models) ↔ / antioxidant behavior in some contexts P, R, G Stress amplifier (variable) Direction depends on dose/model; avoid absolute “ROS always ↑/↓”. Oxidative stress + DDR has been linked to anti-angiogenic effects in vivo in melanoma models.
6 MAPK re-wiring (ERK / JNK / p38) MAPK shifts; JNK/p38 often stress-activated; ERK variable ↔ P, R, G Signal reprogramming MAPK effects differ by cell line; chrysin can suppress JNK/ERK signaling to reduce MMP-9 in some models.
7 Cell-cycle arrest / proliferation control Cell-cycle arrest ↑; proliferation ↓ ↔ G Cytostasis Often observed as later phenotype-level outcomes, downstream of signaling changes.
8 Invasion / metastasis (MMP-9; EMT programs) MMP-9 ↓; migration/invasion ↓ (context) ↔ G Anti-invasive phenotype Chrysin can reduce MMP-9 expression via AP-1 suppression and MAPK pathway effects in certain cancer models.
9 Angiogenesis (VEGF/angiogenic outputs) Angiogenesis outputs ↓ (context) ↔ G Anti-angiogenic support In melanoma models, chrysin has been associated with angiogenesis regression linked to oxidative stress and DNA damage response.
10 Bioavailability constraint (oral PK limitation) Systemic exposure often low without formulation — — Translation constraint Native chrysin oral bioavailability is extremely low due to poor solubility and extensive glucuronidation/sulfation with efflux; formulation strategies are commonly required for systemic effects.

Time-Scale Flag (TSF): P / R / G

  • P: 0–30 min (primary/physical–chemical effects; rapid signaling / phosphorylation shifts)
  • R: 30 min–3 hr (acute stress-response and redox signaling)
  • G: >3 hr (gene-regulatory adaptation and phenotype-level outcomes)
NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: TCGA
Type: Antiapoptotic
Nrf2 is responsible for regulating an extensive panel of antioxidant enzymes involved in the detoxification and elimination of oxidative stress. Thought of as "Master Regulator" of antioxidant response.
-One way to estimate Nrf2 induction is through the expression of NQO1.
NQO1, the most potent inducer:
SFN 0.2 μM,
quercetin (2.5 μM),
curcumin (2.7 μM),
Silymarin (3.6 μM),
tamoxifen (5.9 μM),
genistein (6.2 μM ),
beta-carotene (7.2μM),
lutein (17 μM),
resveratrol (21 μM),
indol-3-carbinol (50 μM),
chlorophyll (250 μM),
alpha-cryptoxanthin (1.8 mM),
and zeaxanthin (2.2 mM)

1. Raising Nrf2 enhances the cell's antioxidant defenses and ↓ROS. This strategy is used to decrease chemo-radio side effects.
2. Downregulating Nrf2 lowers antioxidant defenses and ↑ROS. In cancer cells this leads to DNA damage, and cell death.
3. However there are some cases where increasing Nrf2 paradoxically causes an increase in ROS (cancer cells). Such as cases of Mitochondial overload, signal crosstalk, reductive stress

-In some cases, Nrf2 is overexpressed in cancer cells, which can lead to the activation of genes involved in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This can contribute to the development of resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
-Increased Nrf2 expression: Lung, Breast, Colorectal, Prostrate.
Decreased Nrf2 expression: Skine, Liver, Pancreatic.
-Nrf2 is a cytoprotective transcription factor which demonstrated both a negative effect as well as a positive effect on cancer
- "promotes Nrf2 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus," means facilitates the movement of Nrf2 into the nucleus, thereby enhancing the cell's antioxidant and cytoprotective responses. -Major regulator of Nrf2 activity in cells is the cytosolic inhibitor Keap1.

Nrf2 Inhibitors and Activators
Nrf2 Inhibitors: Brusatol, Luteolin, Trigonelline, VitC, Retinoic acid, Chrysin
Nrf2 Activators: SFN, OPZ EGCG, Resveratrol, DATS, CUR, CDDO, Api
- potent Nrf2 inducers from plants include sulforaphane, curcumin, EGCG, resveratrol, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, wasabi, cafestol and kahweol (coffee), cinnamon, ginger, garlic, lycopene, rosemany

Nrf2 plays dual roles in that it can protect normal tissues against oxidative damage and can act as an oncogenic protein in tumor tissue.
– In healthy tissues, NRF2 activation helps protect cells from oxidative damage and maintains cellular homeostasis.
– In many cancers, constitutive activation of NRF2 (often through mutations in NRF2 itself or loss-of-function mutations in KEAP1) leads to an enhanced antioxidant capacity.
– This upregulation can promote tumor cell survival by enabling cancer cells to thrive under oxidative stress, resist chemotherapeutic agents, and sustain metabolic reprogramming.
– Elevated NRF2 levels have been implicated in promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy in various malignancies.
– High or sustained NRF2 activity is frequently associated with aggressive tumor phenotypes, poorer prognosis, and decreased overall survival in several cancer types.
– While its activation is essential for protecting normal cells from oxidative stress, aberrant or sustained NRF2 activation in tumor cells can lead to enhanced survival, therapeutic resistance, and tumor progression.

NRF2 inhibitors: (to decrease antioxidant defenses and increase cell death from ROS).
-Brusatol: most cited natural inhibitors of Nrf2.
-Luteolin: luteolin can reduce Nrf2 activity in specific cancer models and may enhance cell sensitivity to chemotherapy. However, luteolin is also known as an antioxidant, and its influence on Nrf2 can sometimes be context dependent.
-Apigenin: certain studies to down‑regulate Nrf2 in cancer cells: Dose and context dependent .
-Oridonin:
-Wogonin: although its effects might be cell‑ and dose‑specific.
- Withaferin A

Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
2794- CHr,    An updated review on the versatile role of chrysin in neurological diseases: Chemistry, pharmacology, and drug delivery approaches
- Review, Park, NA - Review, Stroke, NA
*neuroP↑, *ROS↓, *Inflam↓, *Apoptosis↓, *IL1β↓, *TNF-α↓, *COX2↓, *iNOS↓, *NF-kB↓, *JNK↓, *HDAC↓, *GSK‐3β↓, *IFN-γ↓, *IL17↓, *GSH↑, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *SOD↑, *MDA↓, *NO↓, *GPx↑, *TBARS↓, *AChE↓, *GR↑, *Catalase↑, *VitC↑, *memory↑, *lipid-P↓, *ROS↓,
2807- CHr,    Evidence-based mechanistic role of chrysin towards protection of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in rats
- in-vivo, Nor, NA
*antiOx↑, Inflam↓, *cardioP↑, *GSH↑, *SOD↑, *Catalase↑, *GAPDH↑, *BAX↓, *Bcl-2↑, *PARP↓, *Cyt‑c↓, *Casp3↓, *NOX4↓, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *HSP70/HSPA5↑,
2590- CHr,    Chrysin suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion in glioblastoma cell lines via mediating the ERK/Nrf2 signaling pathway
- in-vitro, GBM, T98G - in-vitro, GBM, U251 - in-vitro, GBM, U87MG
TumCP↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, NRF2↓, HO-1↓, NADPH↓, ERK↓,
2591- CHr,  doxoR,    Chrysin enhances sensitivity of BEL-7402/ADM cells to doxorubicin by suppressing PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 and ERK/Nrf2 pathway
- in-vitro, HCC, Bel-7402
NRF2↓, ChemoSen↑, HO-1↓,
2781- CHr,  PBG,    Chrysin a promising anticancer agent: recent perspectives
- Review, Var, NA
PI3K↓, Akt↓, mTOR↓, MMP9↑, uPA↓, VEGF↓, AR↓, Casp↑, TumMeta↓, TumCCA↑, angioG↓, BioAv↓, *hepatoP↑, *neuroP↑, *SOD↑, *GPx↑, *ROS↓, *Inflam↓, *Catalase↑, *MDA↓, ROS↓, BBB↑, Half-Life↓, BioAv↑, ROS↑, eff↑, ROS↑, ROS↑, lipid-P↑, ER Stress↑, NOTCH1↑, NRF2↓, p‑FAK↓, Rho↓, PCNA↓, COX2↓, NF-kB↓, PDK1↓, PDK3↑, GLUT1↓, Glycolysis↓, mt-ATP↓, Ki-67↓, cMyc↓, ROCK1↓, TOP1↓, TNF-α↓, IL1β↓, CycB/CCNB1↓, CDK2↓, EMT↓, STAT3↓, PD-L1↓, IL2↑,
2782- CHr,    Broad-Spectrum Preclinical Antitumor Activity of Chrysin: Current Trends and Future Perspectives
- Review, Var, NA - Review, Stroke, NA - Review, Park, NA
*antiOx↑, *Inflam↓, *hepatoP↑, *neuroP↑, *BioAv↓, *cardioP↑, *lipidLev↓, *RenoP↑, *TNF-α↓, *IL2↓, *PI3K↓, *Akt↓, *ROS↓, *cognitive↑, eff↑, cycD1/CCND1↓, hTERT/TERT↓, VEGF↓, p‑STAT3↓, TumMeta↓, TumCP↓, eff↑, eff↑, IL1β↓, IL6↓, NF-kB↓, ROS↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, Apoptosis↑, ER Stress↑, Ca+2↑, TET1↑, Let-7↑, Twist↓, EMT↓, TumCCA↑, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, BAX↑, HK2↓, GlucoseCon↓, lactateProd↓, Glycolysis↓, SHP1↑, N-cadherin↓, E-cadherin↑, UPR↑, PERK↑, ATF4↑, eIF2α↑, RadioS↑, NOTCH1↑, NRF2↓, BioAv↑, eff↑,
2785- CHr,    Emerging cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying anticancer indications of chrysin
- Review, Var, NA
*NF-kB↓, *COX2↓, *iNOS↓, angioG↓, TOP1↓, HDAC↓, TNF-α↓, IL1β↓, cardioP↑, RenoP↑, neuroP↑, LDL↓, BioAv↑, eff↑, cycD1/CCND1↓, hTERT/TERT↓, MMP-10↓, Akt↓, STAT3↓, VEGF↓, EGFR↓, Snail↓, Slug↓, Vim↓, E-cadherin↑, eff↑, TET1↑, ROS↑, mTOR↓, PPARα↓, ER Stress↑, Ca+2↑, ERK↓, MMP↑, Cyt‑c↑, Casp3↑, HK2↓, NRF2↓, HO-1↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, Fibronectin↓, GRP78/BiP↑, XBP-1↓, p‑eIF2α↑, *AST↓, ALAT↓, ALP↓, LDH↓, COX2↑, Bcl-xL↓, IL6↓, PGE2↓, iNOS↓, DNAdam↑, UPR↑, Hif1a↓, EMT↓, Twist↓, lipid-P↑, CLDN1↓, PDK1↓, IL10↓, TLR4↓, NOTCH1↑, PARP↑, Mcl-1↓, XIAP↓,
2786- CHr,    Chemopreventive and therapeutic potential of chrysin in cancer: mechanistic perspectives
- Review, Var, NA
Apoptosis↑, TumCCA↑, angioG↓, TumCI↓, TumMeta↑, *toxicity↓, selectivity↑, chemoPv↑, *GSTs↑, *NADPH↑, *GSH↑, HDAC8↓, Hif1a↓, *ROS↓, *NF-kB↓, SCF↓, cl‑PARP↑, survivin↓, XIAP↓, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, GSH↓, ChemoSen↑, Fenton↑, P21↑, P53↑, cycD1/CCND1↓, CDK2↓, STAT3↓, VEGF↓, Akt↓, NRF2↓,
4883- LT,  CHr,  BRU,  VitC,    An update of Nrf2 activators and inhibitors in cancer prevention/promotion
- Review, Var, NA
*NRF2↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 9 of 9

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 9

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

Fenton↑, 1,   GSH↓, 1,   HO-1↓, 3,   lipid-P↑, 2,   NRF2↓, 6,   ROS↓, 1,   ROS↑, 5,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

mt-ATP↓, 1,   MMP↓, 1,   MMP↑, 1,   XIAP↓, 2,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

ALAT↓, 1,   cMyc↓, 1,   GlucoseCon↓, 1,   Glycolysis↓, 2,   HK2↓, 2,   lactateProd↓, 1,   LDH↓, 1,   LDL↓, 1,   NADPH↓, 1,   PDK1↓, 2,   PDK3↑, 1,   PPARα↓, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 3,   Apoptosis↑, 2,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-xL↓, 1,   Casp↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 3,   Casp9↑, 2,   Cyt‑c↑, 2,   hTERT/TERT↓, 2,   iNOS↓, 1,   Mcl-1↓, 1,   survivin↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress ⓘ

eIF2α↑, 1,   p‑eIF2α↑, 1,   ER Stress↑, 3,   GRP78/BiP↑, 1,   PERK↑, 1,   UPR↑, 2,   XBP-1↓, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

DNAdam↑, 1,   P53↑, 1,   PARP↑, 1,   cl‑PARP↑, 1,   PCNA↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

CDK2↓, 2,   CycB/CCNB1↓, 1,   cycD1/CCND1↓, 3,   P21↑, 1,   TumCCA↑, 3,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

EMT↓, 3,   ERK↓, 2,   HDAC↓, 1,   HDAC8↓, 1,   Let-7↑, 1,   mTOR↓, 2,   NOTCH1↑, 3,   PI3K↓, 1,   SCF↓, 1,   SHP1↑, 1,   STAT3↓, 3,   p‑STAT3↓, 1,   TOP1↓, 2,  

Migration ⓘ

Ca+2↑, 2,   CLDN1↓, 1,   E-cadherin↑, 2,   p‑FAK↓, 1,   Fibronectin↓, 1,   Ki-67↓, 1,   MMP-10↓, 1,   MMP2↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   MMP9↑, 1,   N-cadherin↓, 1,   Rho↓, 1,   ROCK1↓, 1,   Slug↓, 1,   Snail↓, 1,   TET1↑, 2,   TumCI↓, 2,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 2,   TumMeta↓, 2,   TumMeta↑, 1,   Twist↓, 2,   uPA↓, 1,   Vim↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

angioG↓, 3,   ATF4↑, 1,   EGFR↓, 1,   Hif1a↓, 2,   VEGF↓, 4,  

Barriers & Transport ⓘ

BBB↑, 1,   GLUT1↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 1,   COX2↑, 1,   IL10↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 3,   IL2↑, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   Inflam↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 2,   PD-L1↓, 1,   PGE2↓, 1,   TLR4↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 2,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors ⓘ

AR↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1,   BioAv↑, 3,   ChemoSen↑, 2,   eff↑, 7,   Half-Life↓, 1,   RadioS↑, 1,   selectivity↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

ALAT↓, 1,   ALP↓, 1,   AR↓, 1,   EGFR↓, 1,   hTERT/TERT↓, 2,   IL6↓, 2,   Ki-67↓, 1,   LDH↓, 1,   PD-L1↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

cardioP↑, 1,   chemoPv↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 1,   RenoP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 129

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↑, 2,   Catalase↑, 3,   GPx↑, 2,   GSH↑, 3,   GSTs↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 2,   lipid-P↓, 1,   MDA↓, 2,   NOX4↓, 1,   NRF2↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 2,   ROS↓, 5,   SOD↑, 3,   TBARS↓, 1,   VitC↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

GAPDH↑, 1,   lipidLev↓, 1,   NADPH↑, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↓, 1,   BAX↓, 1,   Bcl-2↑, 1,   Casp3↓, 1,   Cyt‑c↓, 1,   iNOS↓, 2,   JNK↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress ⓘ

HSP70/HSPA5↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

PARP↓, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

GSK‐3β↓, 1,   HDAC↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

NO↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 2,   IFN-γ↓, 1,   IL17↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 1,   IL2↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 3,   NF-kB↓, 3,   TNF-α↓, 2,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission ⓘ

AChE↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors ⓘ

GR↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

AST↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

cardioP↑, 2,   cognitive↑, 1,   hepatoP↑, 2,   memory↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 3,   RenoP↑, 1,   toxicity↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 51

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
9 Chrysin
1 doxorubicin
1 Propolis -bee glue
1 Luteolin
1 brusatol
1 Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
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#:61  Target#:226  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

Home Page