Abstract Flavonoids, naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds comprises of more than 4000 members. Being edible in nature they became an integral part of human diet. Flavonoids act as potent inhibitor of various types of cancer on virtue of their ability to induce anticancer activities. Flavonoids induces anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, apoptotic activities and also leads to inhibition of invasion and metastasis including cell cycle arrest. Multiple drug resistance is the major principal mechanism via which one amongst the most dreadful disease named as cancer acquires resistance. Several ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters causes multidrug resistance in cancer cells. Flavonoids target the ABC transporters and help the cells in restoration of drug sensitivity in multiple drug resistant cancer cells. Flavonoids are capable of mediating both hormone dependent and hormone independent action against various types of cancer including breast and prostate cancer. The present review article describes the potent role of flavonoids as an anti-cancer agent as it possess a mark impact in controlling breast and prostate cancerand an efficient agent to overcome issues of multiple drug resistance. Further in vivo studies of these bioactive compounds become essential so that flavonoids can be used as a potent therapeutic drug of wonder to treat various types of cancers.
Keywords: Cancer; Drug Resistance; Flavonoids; Neuroprotectant