Butein

Butein is a flavonoid originally isolated from the bark of Rhus verniciflua and the flowers of Butea monosperma. Butein exhibits anticancer chemotherapeutic, anti-angiogenic, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-fibrotic activities. In lung cancer cells, butein decreases expression of COX-2, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, this compound also inhibits tumor growth of prostate cancer xenografts in vivo. Butein inhibits phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR, and their downstream targets and suppresses VEGF-induced cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation in endothelial progenitor cells, it also inhibits vessel sprouting from aortic rings in vivo. In animal models of spinal cord injury, butein decreases expression of NF-kappaB and IkappaB , inhibits activation of caspase 3, and suppresses infiltration of neutrophils. In cellular models, this compound increases levels of glutathione and activity of catalase and glutathione S-transferase and decreases levels of lactate dehydrogenase. Butein also acts as a free radical scavenger. Additionally, butein prevents hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, downregulating expression of TGF- , TIMP-1/2, and MMP-2 and inhibiting activation of NF-kappaB, p38, JNK, and Smad3.