title: Butein in health and disease: A comprehensive review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of suffering from many chronic diseases seems to have made no improvement despite the advancement in medications available in the modern world. Moreover, the use of synthetic chemicals as medications has proved to worsen the scenario due to the various adverse side effects associated with them.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Extensive research on natural medicines provides ample evidence on the safety and efficacy of phytochemicals and nutraceuticals against diverse chronic ailments. Therefore, it is advisable to use natural products in the management of such diseases. This article aims to present a comprehensive and critical review of known pharmacological and biological effects of butein, an important chalcone polyphenol first isolated from Rhus verniciflua Stokes, implicated in the prevention and treatment of various chronic disease conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Web of ScienceTMcore collections using key words followed by evaluation of the bibliographies of relevant articles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Butein has been preclinically proven to be effective against several chronic diseases because it possesses a wide range of biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hypotensive and neuroprotective effects. Furthermore, it has been shown to affect multiple molecular targets, including the master transcription factor nuclear factor-κB and its downstream molecules. Moreover, since it acts on multiple pathways, the chances of non-responsiveness and resistance development is reduced, supporting the use of butein as a preferred treatment option.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on numerous preclinical studies, butein shows significant therapeutic potential against various diseases. Nevertheless, well-designed clinical studies are urgently needed to validate the preclinical findings.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781 039, India.
authors.forename: Ganesan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Padmavathi
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781 039, India.
authors.forename: Nand Kishor
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781 039, India.
authors.forename: Devivasha
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bordoloi
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell and Cancer Biology Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, West Australia 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arfuso
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore.
authors.forename: Srishti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore; School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Biosciences Research Precinct, Curtin University, Western Australia 6009, Australia. Electronic address: phcgs@nus.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Gautam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sethi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Larkin Health Sciences Institute, Miami, FL 33169, USA. Electronic address: abishayee@ULarkin.org.
authors.forename: Anupam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bishayee
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam 781 039, India. Electronic address: kunnumakkara@iitg.ernet.in.
authors.forename: Ajaikumar B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kunnumakkara
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002599:Chalcone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047188:Chalcones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029045:Rhus / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D047188:Chalcones; D016328:NF-kappa B; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols; C040918:butein; D002599:Chalcone
keywords: Butein; Chronic diseases; Prevention; Rhus verniciflua; Treatment