Formononetin (Formononetol; Flavosil) is a bioactive component extracted from the red clover; inhibits the proliferation of DU-145/PC-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner.IC50 value:Target: anti-cancer in vitro: formononetin inhibited the proliferation of DU-145 cells in a dose-dependent manner. DU-145 cells treated with different concentrations of formononetin displayed obvious morphological changes of apoptosis under fluorescence microscopy. In addition, formononetin increased the proportion of early apoptotic DU-145 cells, down-regulated the protein levels of Bcl-2 and up-regulated those of RASD1 and Bax [1]. Formononetin significantly inhibited the cell growth of PC-3 in a dose-dependent manner, but no such effect was observed in RWPE1 cells. Formononetin treatment contributed to the reduced Bcl-2 protein level and the elevated Bax expression in PC-3 cells, thereby resulting in the increasing Bax/Bcl-2 ratios. Furthermore, the phosphorylated level of p38 in PC-3 cells was activated through the FN treatment, whereas the endogenous Akt phosphorylation was blocked [2]. Compared with the control, formononetin inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells and effectively induced cell cycle arrest. The levels of p-IGF-1 R, p-Akt, cyclin D1 protein expression, and cyclin D1 mRNA expression were also downregulated [3].in vivo: formononetin also prevented the tumor growth of human breast cancer cells in nude mouse xenografts [3].