During the past five decades,
cancer cell lines are being successfully used as an in vitro model to discover the anti-
cancer potential of plant secondary metabolites.
Fisetin - the most popular
polyphenol from fruits and vegetables, exhibits a repertoire of promising pharmacological features. Such versatile properties make
fisetin an excellent
anticancer agent and its efficacy as a chemotherapeutic agent against
tumor heterogeneity from in vitro studies are encouraging.
Fisetin is like a Pandora's box, as more research studies are being carried out, it reveals its new molecules within the
cancer cells as therapeutic targets. These molecular targets orchestrate processes such as apoptosis, autophagic cell death, cell cycle, invasion,
metastasis and angiogenesis in
cancer cells. Besides apoptotic elicitation,
fisetin's ability to induce autophagic cell death in
cancer cells has been reported. This review examines the various molecular mechanisms of action elicited by
fisetin leading to apoptosis and autophagic cell death as evidenced from
cancer cell lines. In addition, the increased bioavailability and sustained release of
fisetin improved through conjugation and enhanced effect of
fisetin through synergism on various
cancers are also highlighted.