[Anti-breast cancer mechanism of flavonoids].

Flavonoids are a kind of ubiquitous natural products in plants and essential active ingredients of many medicinal plants. They have the characteristics of broad biological activity, high efficiency and low toxicity, with good prevention and cure effects on various types of tumors. Breast cancer is the commonest cancer disease and the main cause of cancer death in women worldwide. In China, the morbidity and mortality are still on the rise. Flavonoids can inhibit the occurrence and development of breast cancer in various aspects. The main mechanisms include the inhibition of aerobic glycolysis, the promotion of apoptosis, the retardation of cell cycle, the suppression of invasion and migration, the induction of DNA damage, and the inhibition of aromatase and microtubule production. Due to its chemical structure similar to estrogen, flavonoids have unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. In this paper, studies on anti-breast cancer of flavonoids in recent years were reviewed, which could provide reference for further studies. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.