Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

Navia, Sonia H.; Vega, Libia; Rodríguez, Tonathiu; Rodríguez-Sosa, Miriam

doi:10.3390/ijms27041883

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Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

¹

Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Research Unit in Biomedicine (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. De los Bariios 1, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla 54090, Mexico

²

Department of Toxicology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, Zacatenco, Ciudad de México 07360, Mexico

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(4), 1883; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27041883

Submission received: 21 January 2026 / Revised: 6 February 2026 / Accepted: 10 February 2026 / Published: 15 February 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural-Derived Bioactive Compounds in Disease Treatment)

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Abstract

Flavonoids present in plants and fruits have been used in traditional medicine to reduce inflammation under various inflammatory conditions, including colitis. The pharmacological mechanisms that regulate intestinal inflammation are associated with the colonic microbiota, protection against oxidative stress, preservation of epithelial barrier function, and immune homeostasis. This review describes the main flavonoids present in the diet and examines their role in mitigating colon inflammation, as well as their impact when chronic inflammation progresses to colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), in which flavonoids may promote immune evasion and tumor growth. Understanding the effects of flavonoids on colon physiology offers an opportunity to use these compounds rationally in the treatment of colitis and prevention of the development of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Keywords: ulcerative colitis; colon cancer; flavonoids; inflammation; immuno-oncology

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MDPI and ACS Style

Navia, S.H.; Vega, L.; Rodríguez, T.; Rodríguez-Sosa, M. Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27, 1883. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27041883

AMA Style

Navia SH, Vega L, Rodríguez T, Rodríguez-Sosa M. Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026; 27(4):1883. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27041883

Chicago/Turabian Style

Navia, Sonia H., Libia Vega, Tonathiu Rodríguez, and Miriam Rodríguez-Sosa. 2026. "Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27, no. 4: 1883. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27041883

APA Style

Navia, S. H., Vega, L., Rodríguez, T., & Rodríguez-Sosa, M. (2026). Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27(4), 1883. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27041883

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids in Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

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