Luteolin: A Promising Natural Agent in Management of Pain in Chronic Conditions

Overview

Journal Front Pain Res (Lausanne)

Date 2023 Mar 20

PMID 36937566

Authors

Foteini Ntalouka

Athina Tsirivakou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pain due to chronic conditions is a frequent and insufficiently addressed problem. Current drug options for pain management (either in cases of chronic inflammatory conditions or neuropathy) do not adequately treat pain. Moreover, they are associated with important adverse events in long term use. Luteolin is a flavonoid widely present in the plant kingdom and its sources have been assembled in a comprehensive list of this paper. Luteolin has shown in several research studies a range of pharmacological properties; anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and analgesic. In this article, we summarize the effects and potential benefits from introducing luteolin as an adjuvant agent in established protocols for pain management. We review the most indicative and evidence of how luteolin can target the molecular pathways involved in pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. The data reviewed strongly support luteolin's promising benefits in pain management and raise the need for further clinical trials that can establish its role in clinical practice.

Citing Articles

Nitroxidative Stress, Cell-Signaling Pathways, and Manganese Porphyrins: Therapeutic Potential in Neuropathic Pain.

Silva A, de Lavor M Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(5).

PMID: 40076672 PMC: 11900433. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26052050.

Research Progress on Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism of .

Wu N, Wang S, Zhang Y, Wang S Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(5).

PMID: 40076538 PMC: 11900443. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26051911.

Neuroprotective Potential of L. Essential Oil Against Scopolamine-Induced Memory Deficits and Oxidative Stress in a Zebrafish Model.

Brinza I, Boiangiu R, Honceriu I, Abd-Alkhalek A, Osman S, Eldahshan O Biomolecules. 2025; 15(1).

PMID: 39858532 PMC: 11762835. DOI: 10.3390/biom15010138.

Repurposed Drugs and Plant-Derived Natural Products as Potential Host-Directed Therapeutic Candidates for Tuberculosis.

Raqib R, Sarker P Biomolecules. 2025; 14(12.

PMID: 39766204 PMC: 11673177. DOI: 10.3390/biom14121497.

Progress of research into microglial mediation of central post-stroke pain.

Li Y, Dang Z, Li S, Li G, Cai H, Lu Y Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2024; 38:3946320241309220.

PMID: 39699048 PMC: 11660280. DOI: 10.1177/03946320241309220.

References

Sanchez de Rojas V, Somoza B, Ortega T, Villar A . Isolation of vasodilatory active flavonoids from the traditional remedy Satureja obovata. Planta Med. 1996; 62(3):272-4. DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957876. View

Wu Q, Li Y, Shi Y . Antioxidant phenolic glucosides from Gentiana piasezkii. J Asian Nat Prod Res. 2006; 8(5):391-6. DOI: 10.1080/10286020500172368. View

Kamel M, Mohamed K, Hassanean H, Ohtani K, Kasai R, Yamasaki K . Iridoid and megastigmane glycosides from Phlomis aurea. Phytochemistry. 2000; 55(4):353-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0031-9422(00)00331-9. View

Kim D . Antioxidative components from the aerial parts of Lactuca scariola L. Arch Pharm Res. 2001; 24(5):427-30. DOI: 10.1007/BF02975189. View

Park E, Kim Y, Kim J . Acylated flavonol glycosides from the flower of Inula britannica. J Nat Prod. 2000; 63(1):34-6. DOI: 10.1021/np990271r. View

Ooi L, Wang H, He Z, Ooi V . Antiviral activities of purified compounds from Youngia japonica (L.) DC (Asteraceae, Compositae). J Ethnopharmacol. 2006; 106(2):187-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.12.028. View

Li J, Cheng X, Chen Y, He W, Ni L, Xiong P . Vitamin E TPGS modified liposomes enhance cellular uptake and targeted delivery of luteolin: An in vivo/in vitro evaluation. Int J Pharm. 2016; 512(1):262-272. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.08.037. View

Ulusoy H, Sanlier N . A minireview of quercetin: from its metabolism to possible mechanisms of its biological activities. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019; 60(19):3290-3303. DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1683810. View

Keyhanian S, Stahl-Biskup E . Phenolic constituents in dried flowers of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) and their in vitro antioxidative capacity. Planta Med. 2007; 73(6):599-602. DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-967202. View

10.

Zhang Y, Gan F, Shelar S, Ng K, Chew E . Antioxidant and Nrf2 inducing activities of luteolin, a flavonoid constituent in Ixeris sonchifolia Hance, provide neuroprotective effects against ischemia-induced cellular injury. Food Chem Toxicol. 2013; 59:272-80. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2013.05.058. View

11.

Ghanta S, Banerjee A, Poddar A, Chattopadhyay S . Oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant potential of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni, a natural sweetener. J Agric Food Chem. 2007; 55(26):10962-7. DOI: 10.1021/jf071892q. View

12.

Hou C, Lin S, Cheng J, Hsu F . Antidiabetic dimeric guianolides and a lignan glycoside from Lactuca indica. J Nat Prod. 2003; 66(5):625-9. DOI: 10.1021/np0205349. View

13.

Ingkaninan K, IJzerman A, Verpoorte R . Luteolin, a compound with adenosine A(1) receptor-binding activity, and chromone and dihydronaphthalenone constituents from Senna siamea. J Nat Prod. 2000; 63(3):315-7. DOI: 10.1021/np9904152. View

14.

Seeram N, Zhang Y, Henning S, Lee R, Niu Y, Lin G . Pistachio skin phenolics are destroyed by bleaching resulting in reduced antioxidative capacities. J Agric Food Chem. 2006; 54(19):7036-40. DOI: 10.1021/jf0614948. View

15.

Davey M, Bryant D, Cummins I, Ashenden T, Gates P, Baxter R . Effects of elevated CO2 on the vasculature and phenolic secondary metabolism of Plantago maritima. Phytochemistry. 2004; 65(15):2197-204. DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2004.06.016. View

16.

Pettit G, Hoard M, Doubek D, Schmidt J, Pettit R, Tackett L . Antineoplastic agents 338. The cancer cell growth inhibitory. Constituents of Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae). J Ethnopharmacol. 1996; 53(2):57-63. DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(96)01421-3. View

17.

Woo A . Depression and Anxiety in Pain. Rev Pain. 2015; 4(1):8-12. PMC: 4590059. DOI: 10.1177/204946371000400103. View

18.

Hussain T, Tan B, Yin Y, Blachier F, Tossou M, Rahu N . Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: What Polyphenols Can Do for Us?. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016; 2016:7432797. PMC: 5055983. DOI: 10.1155/2016/7432797. View

19.

Mosaddik A, Forster P, Waterman P . Three new 3-benzylbenzofuran-2-one derivatives from Homalium brachybotrys (Flacourtiaceae/Salicaceae s. l.). Nat Prod Res. 2007; 21(13):1191-8. DOI: 10.1080/14786410601130679. View

20.

Koukoulitsa C, Karioti A, Bergonzi M, Pescitelli G, Di Bari L, Skaltsa H . Polar constituents from the aerial parts of Origanum vulgare L. Ssp. hirtum growing wild in Greece. J Agric Food Chem. 2006; 54(15):5388-92. DOI: 10.1021/jf061477i. View