Spinacetin, a flavonol initially isolated from Spinacia oleracea, is a key bioactive constituent in various plants. In previous studies, spinacetin has shown various potential pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antileishmanial, analgesic, muscle relaxant, sedative, spasmolytic, anti-nephrolithiatic, and depigmentation. It has also shown a protective effect on the vital organs, such as the liver and heart. The widely reported antioxidant and anti-inflammation activities of spinacetin may contribute to its multiple pharmacological properties. In silico molecular docking studies also supported the important activities of spinacetin, such as anticancer, antidiabetic, and hepatoprotective activities. In molecular studies, spinacetin was found to act on targets such as α-glucosidase, Bax, Bcl-2, COX-2, CAT, GPx, and SOD and modulates crucial signaling pathways, including SIRT1/AMPK/mTOR, AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α, MAPK, NF-κB, and AKT/IkBα/NF-kB pathways. These target pathways are associated with numerous important diseases and conditions, which highlights the high pharmacological potential of spinacetin. Still, most of the pharmacological activities of spinacetin are in initial preclinical phases. Limitations of pharmacokinetics and safety studies also restrict its development. By addressing the current limitations and lack of integrated data on spinacetin’s pharmacological properties, molecular mechanisms, and pathways, this work provides a foundational resource for its future clinical and therapeutic development.
Jaiswal et al. (2026) studied this question.