Eupafolin in Nature and Science: Occurrence, Chemistry, Biosynthesis, Analytical Methods, and Potential Multifaceted Applications

Abstract

Eupafolin (nepetin) is a bioactive flavonoid with a flavone backbone and hydroxyl groups contributing to its pharmacological properties. It is found in various medicinal plants and has garnered significant attention due to its biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective effects. This review explores eupafolin's natural occurrence, chemical structure, and biosynthetic pathway, highlighting its roles in different scientific domains, including pharmacology, pharmaceutical nanotechnology, and agriculture. Research data on eupafolin were sourced from databases, including Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, and PubMed, up to April 2025, resulting in over 100 electronic references. Eupafolin shows promise in drug development and green nanoparticle synthesis, supporting eco-friendly nanomedicine and material science applications. Beyond the biomedical benefits of this flavone, its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties also indicate potential use in plant protection and stress tolerance enhancement. Despite its pharmacological benefits, studies on eupafolin's direct toxicity and safety are lacking, with toxicity mainly observed in cultured cancer cells, suggesting chemotherapeutic potential. Thus, robust in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to determine its safety profile for drug development. Overall, this review presents a comprehensive analysis of eupafolin's occurrence, chemistry, derivatives, biosynthesis, and applications, emphasizing its potential in medicine, pharmaceutical nanotechnology, and agriculture.