Views: 200 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-06-18 Origin: Site
Anti-cancer Eriocitrin is a flavonoid isolated from lemon, which is a powerful antioxidant. Eriocitrin inhibits the proliferation of liver cancer cells by upregulating p53, cyclin A, cyclin D3 and CDK6 to arrest the S phase of the cell cycle. Eriocitrin triggers apoptosis by activating the intrinsic signaling pathway involved in mitochondria.
The following is a comprehensive analysis of Eriocitrin, covering plant sources, extraction and purification methods, conventional specifications, application areas, market prospects and synthesis routes:
I. Best source plants
Eriocitrin is mainly found in plants of the genus Citrus in the Rutaceae family. The following are sources with a high degree of enrichment:
Lemon (Citrus limon): Lemon peel and pulp are the richest natural sources of Eriocitrin, and its content is significantly higher than that of other citrus fruits.
Citrus aurantium: Also known as sour orange, the fruit and leaves also contain high concentrations of Eriocitrin.
Plants of the genus Mentha and Thymus: Some species, such as mint and thyme, can extract a small amount of eriocitrin, but the content is much lower than that of lemon.
Comparison of eriocitrin content from different plant sources
Plant name | Part | Content characteristics |
Citrus limon | Peel, pulp | The richest, significantly higher than other sources |
Citrus aurantium | Fruit, leaves | Higher concentration |
Mentha spp. | Leaves | A small amount, low industrial value
|
Thymus spp. | Leaves | A small amount, low industrial value
|
2. Extraction and purification methods
1. Extraction process
Solvent extraction method: commonly use ethanol/water mixed solvent (70-80% ethanol) for extraction at 50-60℃, and obtain crude extract after concentration.
Ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction: improve efficiency, shorten extraction time, and reduce solvent usage.
2. Purification technology
Macroporous adsorption resin chromatography: such as AB-8 or D101 resin, use ethanol gradient elution to remove impurities.
Preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC): the final purification step to obtain ≥98% high-purity products (mainstream specifications).
Biosynthesis-assisted purification: through genetically engineered microorganisms to express specific enzymes, the precursor substances are converted to generate eriocitrin, simplifying the subsequent purification process.
3. Conventional product specifications
Purity: ≥98% (HPLC detection).
Appearance: white to light yellow powder.
Packaging specifications: 20mg, 50mg, 100mg (scientific research grade); 500mg, 1g, 10g (industrial grade).
Storage conditions: 2-8℃ sealed away from light, valid for 2 years.
4. Main applications
Antitumor drug development:
Inhibits the proliferation and migration of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells by blocking the EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) pathway and inducing ferroptosis.
Experiments show that at a concentration of 40μmol/L, EMT marker proteins (N-cadherin, Vimentin) can be significantly downregulated and E-cadherin can be upregulated.
Antioxidant:
Used in food, beverages and cosmetics, its antioxidant capacity is better than hesperidin and naringin.
Relieve exercise-induced liver oxidative damage and reduce lipid peroxide levels.
Metabolic disease intervention:
Improve high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis and activate mitochondrial biogenesis genes (such as NRF1, COX4).
Reduce serum total cholesterol and triglycerides and promote bile acid excretion.
Main application areas and mechanism of action of eriocitrin
Application areas
| Mechanism of action
| Potential product forms
|
Antitumor drugs
| Blocking the EMT pathway and inducing ferroptosis
| Adjuvant preparations for lung cancer treatment |
Functional foods | Scavenging free radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation | Health drinks, dietary supplements
|
Lipid-lowering drugs
| Activating mitochondrial biogenesis and promoting cholesterol metabolism | Oral lipid-lowering capsules
|
Cosmetic additives
| Protect skin cells from oxidative stress damage
| Anti-aging essence, sunscreen |
5. Biological and chemical synthesis pathways
1. Biosynthesis (synthetic biology)
Microbial cell factory:
Modify yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or Escherichia coli, introduce flavonoid synthesis pathway genes (such as PAL, CHS, CHI) and glycosyltransferases.
Current challenges: Insufficient supply of precursors and low enzyme catalytic efficiency, metabolic flux needs to be optimized.
Industrialization progress: Chinese synthetic biology companies (such as Blue Crystal Microorganisms) are promoting the microbial synthesis of terpenes and flavonoids, with eriocitrin as a potential target.
2. Chemical synthesis
Full chemical route: Using naringin as a precursor, it is synthesized through multiple steps such as hydroxylation and glycosylation, but the steps are cumbersome and the yield is low (<30%)510.
Semi-synthesis: Starting from cheap citrus aglycones (such as hesperidin), enzyme-catalyzed glycosylation is more cost-effective.
Conclusion and Suggestions
Source and production: Lemon is still the most efficient source, but synthetic biology is expected to solve the bottleneck of natural extraction capacity;
Application focus: Prioritize the layout of anti-tumor drugs (LUAD treatment) and functional foods (antioxidant, lipid-lowering);
Investment direction: Pay attention to China's synthetic biology policy dividends (such as the "Opinions on the Implementation of Future Industrial Innovation"), and enter the high-purity monomer (≥98%) production track.
It is recommended that scientific research institutions and enterprises cooperate to develop microbial synthesis processes, and at the same time explore the clinical transformation of EMT inhibitors in lung cancer treatment to seize the incremental market.
