Chrysin is a natural flavonoid found in various plant extracts, honey, and propolis, possessing diverse biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects[1, 2]. Chrysin can regulate drug resistance by inhibiting P-glycoprotein activity, thereby increasing the intracellular concentration of chemotherapeutic drugs such as paclitaxel[3].
In vitro, treatment of DU145 and PC-3 cells with Chrysin (0-100µM) for 48h induced apoptosis, evidenced by DNA fragmentation and an increase in the number of cells in the sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle in both DU145 and PC-3 cells[4]. Treatment of U937 cells with Chrysin (5-10µM) for 12h induced apoptosis and significantly induced the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytoplasm[5]. Treatment of human melanoma cells (SP6.5 and M17 cells) with Chrysin (0-100µM) for 12h reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 28.3µM and 35.8µM for SP6.5 and M17 cells, respectively[6].
In vivo, oral administration of Chrysin (5, 10mg/kg) to mice with colitis for 7 days significantly improved the damage to the colonic tissue structure, reduced colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and decreased the production of inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines[7].
References:
[1] Zeinali M, Rezaee S A, Hosseinzadeh H. An overview on immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of chrysin and flavonoids substances[J]. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2017, 92: 998-1009.
[2] Stompor-Gorący M, Bajek-Bil A, Machaczka M. Chrysin: Perspectives on contemporary status and future possibilities as pro-health agent[J]. Nutrients, 2021, 13(6): 2038.
[3] Panneerselvam S, Hussain S, Jeyavelkumaran R. Chrysin as a Chemosensitizer: Molecular Insights into Its Role in Prostate Cancer Treatment[J]. Journal of Bio-X Research, 2025, 2025: 0060.
[4] Ryu S, Lim W, Bazer F W, et al. Chrysin induces death of prostate cancer cells by inducing ROS and ER stress[J]. Journal of cellular physiology, 2017, 232(12): 3786-3797.
[5] Woo K J, Jeong Y J, Park J W, et al. Chrysin-induced apoptosis is mediated through caspase activation and Akt inactivation in U937 leukemia cells[J]. Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2004, 325(4): 1215-1222.
[6] Xue C, Chen Y, Hu D N, et al. Chrysin induces cell apoptosis in human uveal melanoma cells via intrinsic apoptosis[J]. Oncology Letters, 2016, 12(6): 4813-4820.
[7] Shin E K, Kwon H S, Kim Y H, et al. Chrysin, a natural flavone, improves murine inflammatory bowel diseases[J]. Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2009, 381(4): 502-507.
















