Comprehensive exploration of Biochanin A as an oncotherapeutics potential in the treatment of multivarious cancers with molecular insights

Abstract Cancer is considered a leading cause of mortality. This rising cancer death rate and several existing limitations like side effects, poor efficacies, and high cost of the present chemotherapeutic agents have increased the demand for more potent and alternative cancer treatments. This review elucidated a brief overview of Biochanin A (BCA) and its potentiality on various cancers with details of anticancer mechanism. According to our review, a number of studies including in silico, in vitro, pre‐clinical, and clinical trials have tested to evaluate the efficacy of BCA. This compound is effective against 15 types of cancer, including breast, cervical, colorectal, gastric, glioblastoma, liver, lung, melanoma, oral, osteosarcoma, ovarian, pancreatic, pharynx, prostate, and umbilical vein cancer. The general anticancer activities of this compound are mediated via several molecular processes, including regulation of apoptosis, cell proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis, signaling, enzymatic pathways, and other mechanisms. Targeting both therapeutic and oncogenic proteins, as well as different pathways, makes up the molecular mechanism underlying the anticancer action. Many signaling networks and their components, such as EFGR, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK, MMP‐2, MMP‐9, PARP, Caspase‐3/8/9, Bax, Bcl2, PDL‐1, NF‐κB, TNF‐α, IL‐6, JAK, STAT3, VEGFR, VEGF, c‐MY, Cyclin B1, D1, E1 and CDKs, Snail, and E‐cadherin proteins, can be regulated in cancer cells by BCA. Such kind of anticancer properties of BCA could be a result of its correct structural chemistry. The use of BCA‐based therapies as nano‐carriers for the delivery of chemotherapeutic medicines has the potential to be very effective. This natural compound synergises with other natural compounds and standard drugs, including sorafenib, 5‐fluorouracil, temozolomide, doxorubicin, apigenin, and genistein. Moreover, proper use of this compound can reverse multidrug resistance through numerous mechanisms. BCA has better drug‐likeness and pharmacokinetic properties and is nontoxic (eye, liver, kidney, skin, cardio) in human bodies. As having a wide range of cancer‐fighting mechanisms, synergistic effects, and good pharmacokinetic properties, BCA can be used as a supplementary food until standard drugs are available at pharma markets.