The neuroprotective effects of formononetin: Signaling pathways and molecular targets

[Display omitted] •Formononetin is an isoflavone phytoestrogen rich in legumes Astragalus membranaceus.•Formononetin have neuroprotective effects by inhibiting oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis.•Multiple signal pathways are involved in the neuroprotective effect of formononetin.•Further studies could take efforts on toxicity, metabolism and clinical trials of formononetin. Formononetin is a kind of isoflavone, which widely exists in all kinds of legumes, and is a common plant food active ingredient. At present, a large number of experiments have proved that formononetin and formononetin-3′-sulphonate(SUL-F) have potential therapeutic effects on nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), cerebral ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) traumatic brain injury (TBI), diabetic neuropathy, peripheral nervous system diseases and anxiety disorders. At present, nervous system diseases are mainly treated with synthetic drugs, and the side effects are obvious. In this perspective, a literature search was conducted to provide information on the signaling pathways and molecular targets of neuroprotection of formononetin and SUL-F based on the neuroprotective study, which was a new angle of view for understanding their neuroprotective mechanism. Further studies could take efforts on toxicity, metabolic pathway and clinical trials of formononetin.