Hesperetin is a natural flavanone, and acts as a potent and broad-spectrum inhibitor against human UGT activity. Hesperetin induces apoptosis via p38 MAPK activation.

Hesperetin has the retention of antioxidant potential in self nano-emulsifying drug delivery system[1]. Hesperetin and NGR display broad-spectrum inhibition against human UGTs. Besides, Hesperetin exhibits strong inhibitory effects on UGT1A1, 1A3 and 1A9 (both IC50 and Ki values lower than 10 µM) and moderately inhibits UGT1A4, UGT1A7, UGT1A8 (IC50 values 29.68-63.87 µM)[2]. Hesperetin interacts with different types of proteins involving hydrogen bonds, pi-pi effects, pi-cation bonding and pi-sigma interactions with varying binding energies. Hesperetin exhibits drug-like properties which projects its potential as a therapeutic option for CHIKV infection[3]. Hesperetin dose-dependently reduces GCDCA-induced caspase-3 activity in cultured primary rat hepatocytes. Hesperetin also dose-dependently reduces CM-induced Nos2 (iNOS) expression in hepatocytes. Interestingly, hesperetin-induced expression of the antioxidant gene haem oxygenase 1 (HO-1) about fourfold compared with cytokine mixture alone[5].

Preadministration of Hesperetin (40 mg/kg b.w., oral) significantly attenuates the Cd-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, restores the antioxidant and membrane-bound enzyme activities and decreases apoptosis in the brain of rats[4]. Hesperetin (200 mg/kg) attenuates Con A-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and hepatic Nos2 (iNOS) expression in mice. Hesperetin co-treatment also decreases the occurrence of apoptotic bodies, hydropic degeneration, nuclear fragments, autolysis and haemorrhage. The number of leukocytes infiltrated in liver tissue of mice with D-GalN/LPS-induced fulminant hepatitis are significantly decreased by hesperetin in a murine model[5].