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REVIEW article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1389179

A Detailed Overview of Quercetin: Implications for Cell Death and Liver Fibrosis Mechanisms

Provisionally accepted
Fei Xiong Fei Xiong 1Yicheng Zhang Yicheng Zhang 1Ting Li Ting Li 2Yi-ping Tang Yi-ping Tang 1Si-Yuan Song Si-Yuan Song 3Qiao Zhou Qiao Zhou 1Yi Wang Yi Wang 1*
  • 1 Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
  • 2 Wenjiang District People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
  • 3 Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Quercetin, a widespread polyphenolic flavonoid, is known for its extensive health benefits and is commonly found in the plant kingdom. The natural occurrence and extraction methods of quercetin are crucial due to its bioactive potential. Purpose: This review aims to comprehensively cover the natural sources of quercetin, its extraction methods, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and its role in various cell death pathways and liver fibrosis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed across several electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang database, and ClinicalTrials.gov, up to 10 February 2024. The search terms employed were “quercetin”, “natural sources of quercetin”, “quercetin extraction methods”, “bioavailability of quercetin”, “pharmacokinetics of quercetin”, “cell death pathways”, “apoptosis”, “autophagy”, “pyroptosis”, “necroptosis”, “ferroptosis”, “cuproptosis”, “liver fibrosis”, and “hepatic stellate cells”. These keywords were interconnected using AND/OR as necessary. The search focused on studies that detailed the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of quercetin, its role in different cell death pathways, and its effects on liver fibrosis. Results: The review discusses quercetin's engagement in cell death pathways—apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis—with a focus on its regulatory role in apoptosis and autophagy. The mechanisms by which quercetin influences these processes in different cell types and dosages are also examined. Furthermore, the paper examines the impact of quercetin on liver fibrosis, its interaction with hepatic stellate cells, and modulation of related signaling pathways. Conclusion: The paper provides a detailed analysis of quercetin, suggesting its significant role in modulating cell death mechanisms and mitigating liver fibrosis, underscoring its therapeutic potential.

    Keywords: Quercetin, cuproptosis, liver fibrosis, Apoptosis, necroptosis, Autophagy, pyroptosis, ferroptosis

    Received: 21 Feb 2024; Accepted: 29 Apr 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Xiong, Zhang, Li, Tang, Song, Zhou and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yi Wang, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 611731, Sichuan Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.