An apple a day to prevent cancer formation: Reducing cancer risk with flavonoids

•Apple polyphenols and cell proliferation.•Apple polyphenols inhibit cell migration and invasion.•Apple polyphenols induce apoptotic cancer cell death.•Signaling molecules and disease protection effects of phloretin.•Apple polyphenols induce anticancer effects in animal models.

The purpose of this review is to update and discuss key findings from in vitro and in vivo studies on apple and its biocompounds, with a special focus on its anticancer role. Several studies have proposed that apple and its extracts exhibit a variety of biological functions that may contribute to health benefits including beneficial effects against chronic heart and vascular disorders, respiratory and pulmonary dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanism(s) of various components in apple, as established in previous studies that indicated their growth-inhibitory effects in various cancer cell types. Moreover, an attempt is made to delineate the direction of future studies that could lead to the development of apple components as a potent chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic agent against cancer.

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