Perspectives on the Role of Isoliquiritigenin in Cancer

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a natural bioactive compound with a chalcone structure, demonstrates high antitumor efficacy. This review presents a summary of the latest research on the metabolites, pharmakinetics, and pharmacological effects of ISL and its derivatives. We highlighted the therapeutic molecular targets that are involved in antitumor effects in different cancers, both in vivo and in vitro. We also summarized the role of ISL, providing a full account of the applications of ISL thus far in various therapeutic schemes in the treatment of different cancers, alone or in combination with other drugs. ABSTRACT: Isoliquiritigenin (2′,4′,4-trihydroxychalcone, ISL), one of the most important bioactive compounds with a chalcone structure, is derived from licorice root. Licorice is commonly known as Glycyrrhiza, including Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Glycyrrhiza radix, and Glycyrrhiza glabra, which are generally available in common foods and Chinese herbal medicines based on a wide variety of biological functions and pharmacological effects, and its derivative (ISL) is utilized as a food additive and adjunct disease treatment. In this review, we summarized the progress over the last 10 years in the targeted pathways and molecular mechanisms of ISL that are involved in the regulation of the onset and progression of different types of cancers.