Flavonoids, including fisetin, have been linked to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and have potential therapeutic applications for the condition. Fisetin, a natural flavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables, has shown promise in managing CRC due to its diverse biological activities. It has been found to influence key cell signaling pathways related to inflammation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, growth factors, and transcription factors. The results of this study demonstrate that fisetin induces colon cancer cell apoptosis through multiple mechanisms. It impacts the p53 pathway, leading to increased levels of p53 and decreased levels of MDM2, contributing to apoptosis induction. Fisetin also triggers the release of important components in the apoptotic process, such as Smac/DIABLO and cytochrome c. Furthermore, fisetin inhibits the COX2 and Wnt/EGFR/NF-ĸB signaling pathways, reducing Wnt target gene expression and hindering colony formation. It achieves this by regulating the activities of CDK2 and CDK4, reducing Rb phosphorylation, decreasing cyclin E levels, and increasing p21 levels, ultimately influencing E2F-1 and CDC2 protein levels. Additionally, fisetin has various effects on CRC cells, including inhibiting the phosphorylation of YB-1 and RSK, promoting the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and disrupting the repair process of DSBs. Moreover, fisetin serves as an adjunct therapy for the prevention and treatment of PIK3CA-mutant CRC, resulting in a reduction of PI3K expression, AKT phosphorylation, mTOR activity, and downstream target proteins in CRC cells with a PIK3CA mutation. These findings highlight the multifaceted potential of fisetin in managing CRC and position it as a promising candidate for future therapy development.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to various motor and non-motor symptoms. Several cellular and molecular mechanisms such as alpha-synuclein (α-syn) accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation are involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation. They are typically about 21-25 nucleotides in length and are involved in the regulation of gene expression by binding to the messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules. miRNAs like miR-221 play important roles in various biological processes, including development, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. miR-221 is also implicated in promoting neuronal survival against oxidative stress and in promoting neurite outgrowth and neuronal differentiation. Additionally, the role of miR-221 in PD has been investigated in several studies. According to the results of this study; 1) miR-221 protects against oxidative stress in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced PC12 cells; 2) miR-221 prevents Bax/caspase-3 signaling activation by stopping Bim; 3) miR-221 has moderate predictive power for PD; 4) miR-221 directly targets PTEN, and PTEN over-expression eliminates the protective action of miR-221 on p-AKT expression in PC12 cells; 5) miRNA-221, by manipulating the Akt signaling pathway, performs in controlling cell viability and apoptosis in PD. This review study suggests that miR-221 has the potential to be used as a clinical biomarker for PD diagnosis and stage assignment.