Apigenin inhibits pancreatic stellate cell proliferation, stimulates apoptosis and inhibits fibrosis associated with chronic pancreatitis

Introduction Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is characterized by extensive tissue fibrosis due, in part, to enhanced proliferation and reduced apoptosis of activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), which exhibit a myofibroblast phenotype and produce excessive amounts of extracellular matrix proteins.