Fisetin flavonoid extract, memory help?
October 25 2016 by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Fisetin is a flavonol (3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone) that has anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects.

Brain health
In vitro studies show fisetin has a strong anti-inflammatory activity in brain microglia, and could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases.

Front Biosci (Schol Ed). 2015. How fisetin reduces the impact of age and disease on CNS function. We have identified an orally active, novel neuroprotective and cognition-enhancing molecule, the flavonoid fisetin. Fisetin not only has direct antioxidant activity but it can also increase the intracellular levels of glutathione, the major intracellular antioxidant. Fisetin can also activate key neurotrophic factor signaling pathways. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory activity and inhibits the activity of lipoxygenases, thereby reducing the production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and their by-products. This wide range of actions suggests that fisetin has the ability to reduce the impact of age-related neurological diseases on brain function.

Huntington's disease
Fisetin slows the onset of motor problems and delays death in three models of Huntington's disease, according to researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Human Molecular Genetics, 2010.

Fisetin and memory
Mice studies indicate that fisetin may be helpful for memory. Pamela Maher, Ph.D., a senior staff scientist in the Salk Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, has found that it exerts its neuroprotective and memory-enhancing effects through the activation of the Ras/ERK signaling pathway

I have read of the benefits of fisetin on memory in a study done by Dr. Maher. Is there currently a fisetin supplement available that you would recommend. I know of one from Japan that is from the smoketree plant extract, but would like your thoughts on this.
   As of 2016, I have not come across human studies regarding the use of fisetin supplements for memory enhancement.

Pain reduction
Sci Rep. 2015. Fisetin exerts antihyperalgesic effect in a mouse model of neuropathic pain: engagement of spinal serotonergic system. Fisetin, a natural flavonoid, has been shown in our previous studies to exert antidepressant-like effect. As antidepressant drugs are clinically used to treat chronic neuropathic pain, this work aimed to investigate the potential antinociceptive efficacies of fisetin against neuropathic pain and explore mechanism(s).

Prostate cancer
Fisetin, a novel dietary flavonoid causes apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.
Carcinogenesis. 2008.
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of fisetin, a tetrahydroxyflavone, on inhibition of cell-growth and induction of apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells. Treatment of fisetin was found to result in a decrease in the viability of LNCaP, CWR22Rupsilon1 and PC-3 cells but had only minimal effects on normal prostate epithelial PrEC cells. Treatment of LNCaP cells with fisetin also resulted in G1-phase arrest which was associated with a marked decrease in the protein expression of cyclin D1, D2 and E and their activating partner cdk2, 4 and 6 with concomitant induction of WAF1/p21 and KIP1/p27. Treatment of cells with fisetin also resulted in significant activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9. Pretreatment of cells with caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK) blocked fisetin-induced activation of caspases. These data provides the first evidence that fisetin could be developed as an agent against prostate cancer.

Biochem Pharmacol. 2012. Dietary flavonoid fisetin: a novel dual inhibitor of PI3K/Akt and mTOR for prostate cancer management. Our observations and findings from other laboratories suggest that fisetin could be a useful chemotherapeutic agent that could be used either alone or as an adjuvant with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs for the management of prostate and other cancers.

Questions
Your name came up while searching for fisetin. I am working with the well-known doctor as a research patient and researcher exploring natural medicines for my condition (Ideopathic Parkinson’s). Could you help us find a wholesale source of fisetin for one kilogram?
   As of 2013, I have not found a good source of fisetin.