Signaling Pathways and Medicinal Properties of Quercitrin: A Review.

Abstract

Quercitrin (QC) is a dietary flavonoid glycoside with diverse pharmacological activities, yet a review on its cellular signaling mechanisms remains lacking. This review aims to synthesize and rigorously assess existing evidence concerning the modulatory influence of QC on essential signaling pathways and its therapeutic effects. A literature search was performed using Web of Science, Medline, and Embase databases. The synthesis of 25 original experimental studies evaluating QC as a pure compound with specific effects on signaling pathways was reported. QC potentially inhibited pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, including NF-κB, p38 MAPK, JNK, and Jak/Stat, while activating cytoprotective pathways such as Nrf2 and Wnt/β- catenin. Notably, evidence demonstrated context-dependent bidirectional regulation of PI3K/Akt and ERK signaling, with QC suppressing pathological hyperactivation during inflammation while restoring impaired signaling under oxidative stress, metabolic dysfunction, and tissue injury. These molecular actions contributed to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chondroprotective, neuroprotective, metabolic, and anticancer effects. Current evidence suggests that QC functions as a context-dependent homeostatic regulator rather than a simple pathway activator or inhibitor. Its ability to differentially modulate signaling networks according to disease context may explain its broad therapeutic potential across multiple pathological conditions. Preclinical evidence supports QC as a multi-target signaling modulator with promising therapeutic potential. However, its clinical translation remains limited by insufficient pharmacokinetic data and the absence of well-designed human studies. Future standardized pharmacokinetic investigations and clinical trials are warranted to establish its efficacy and safety.