Product name: 6-Hydroxyrubiadin
Synonym name:
Catalogue No.: SBP02191
Cas No.: 87686-86-0
Formula: C₁₅H₁₀O₅
Mol Weight: 270.24
Botanical Source:
Type of Compound:

Purity: 95%~99%
Analysis Method: HPLC-DAD or/and HPLC-ELSD
Identification Method: Mass, NMR
Packing: Brown vial or HDPE plastic bottle

Storage: Store in a well closed container, protected from air and light. Put into refrigerate or freeze for long term storage.
Whenever possible, you should prepare and use solutions on the same day. However, if you need to make up stock solutions in advance, we recommend that you store the solution as aliquots in tightly sealed vials at -20℃. Generally, these will be useable for up to two weeks.

The product could be supplied from milligrams to grams
Inquire for bulk scale.

For Reference Standard and R&D, Not for Human Use Directly.

Storage conditions：Short-term storage at 2~8℃, long-term storage at -20 ~ -80℃

Introduction/Overview

Natural products, as an important source of drug discovery, play an irreplaceable role in the long history of human struggle against diseases. Anthraquinone compounds, as a class of secondary metabolites widely present in nature, have attracted much attention due to their structural diversity and significant biological activity. Among them, plants of the Rubiaceae family, especially the Rubiaceae genus（Rubia）Plants, known for their abundant anthraquinone components, are commonly used medicinal herbs in traditional medical systems. Multiple anthraquinone compounds isolated from madder, such as Alizarin and Purpurin, have been proven to have various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects.

6-Hydroxyrubiadin, also known as 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone, is a compound derived from Yunnan madder（Rubia yunnanensis）Natural anthraquinone compounds isolated from roots. As a hydroxylated derivative of Rubiadin, its unique chemical structure endows it with a biological activity spectrum distinct from other anthraquinone compounds. In recent years, research on 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin has gradually deepened, especially in the field of anti-tumor, showing remarkable potential. Research has shown that this compound can act on multiple key signaling pathways, including MCL1、BCL2、STAT3、MMP2、TOP1、HIF1A、TOP2A、MAPK1、ESR1、CYP19A1 The multiple molecular targets closely related to tumor occurrence, development, invasion, and drug resistance exhibit multi-target and multi pathway anti-tumor activity characteristics. In addition, its anti-inflammatory activity also makes it a candidate compound for treating inflammation related diseases. This article aims to provide a systematic review of the chemical structure, plant origin, pharmacological activity, mechanism of action, medicinal properties, and clinical application prospects of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin, in order to provide comprehensive scientific basis for the in-depth development and utilization of this natural product.

Chemical structure and physicochemical properties

The core skeleton of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin is 9,10-anthraquinone, which is composed of three benzene rings fused together, with two carbonyl groups located at positions 9 and 10, respectively. Its structural feature lies in the substituent pattern at specific positions on the anthraquinone nucleus: one hydroxyl group (- OH) is attached to each of the 1st, 3rd, and 6th positions, and one methyl group (- CH3) is attached to the 2nd position. According to the IUPAC nomenclature, its system name is 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone. This structure classifies it as a trihydroxyanthraquinone compound. Compared with the parent compound methyl isoquercetin (1,3-dihydroxy-2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone), 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin has an additional hydroxyl group at position 6, which significantly affects its physicochemical properties, biological activity, and interactions with biomolecules.

From the perspective of physical and chemical properties, the molecular formula of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin is C ₁₅ H ₁₀ O ₆, with a molecular weight of 270.2400 g/mol. Its lipid water partition coefficient (LogP) is 2.5594, indicating that the compound has a certain lipophilicity, which is conducive to its penetration of the cell membrane and entry into the cell to exert pharmacological effects. The topological polar surface area (TPSA) is 94.8300 Å ², which reflects the total surface area of polar atoms (such as oxygen and nitrogen atoms) in the molecule, and is usually related to the oral absorption and blood-brain barrier penetration ability of the compound. The TPSA value of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin suggests that it may have some oral bioavailability, but its blood-brain barrier penetration ability is low, which may limit its application in central nervous system diseases, but at the same time may also reduce potential side effects on the central nervous system. Its water solubility (LogS) is 0.1247, indicating its low solubility in water, which may be a limiting factor for its pharmacokinetic behavior in vivo and needs to be improved through appropriate drug delivery systems or structural modifications. In addition, the predicted results showed that the compound did not exhibit hERG (human Ether - à - go Related Gene) potassium channel inhibitory activity, indicating a low risk of cardiac toxicity. The Ames test result is 1.2, and it is generally believed that when the value is less than 2, the risk of mutagenicity is low, indicating a lower risk of genetic toxicity. These preliminary pharmacological parameters provide positive signals for the subsequent development of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin.

Plant sources and extraction methods

6-Hydroxymethyl isorubicin mainly comes from the Rubiaceae family, Rubiaceae genus（Rubia）Plants, especially Yunnan madder（Rubia yunnanensis The root of Diels. Yunnan madder, also known as small red ginseng or Yunnan madder, is a unique plant species in China, mainly distributed on the slopes, forest edges or grasslands of Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and other places. Its root is often used in folk medicine as a medicine to promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, cool blood, and stop bleeding. Except for Yunnan madder, other madder plants such as madder（Rubia cordifolia L. It may also contain the compound, but the content is usually low. The accumulation of anthraquinone compounds in plants is influenced by various factors, including plant species, growth environment, harvest season, plant age, etc. Therefore, selecting suitable plant sources and harvesting times is the key to obtaining high levels of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin.

The extraction of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin from plant materials usually follows the classic process of natural product chemistry. Firstly, crush the dried roots of the Chinese parasol tree to improve extraction efficiency. Subsequently, solvent extraction was employed, with commonly used solvents including methanol, ethanol, or their aqueous solutions. Due to the lipophilicity of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin, the extraction efficiency of high concentration ethanol or methanol is usually better than that of pure water. Extraction methods can include cold soaking, percolation, or heating reflux. Heating reflux extraction has a high efficiency, but attention should be paid to controlling temperature and time to avoid degradation of thermosensitive components. The crude extract is obtained by filtering and concentrating the extract under reduced pressure.

In order to obtain high-purity 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin, it is necessary to systematically separate and purify the crude extract. Common methods include:
1. Liquid-liquid extraction By using solvents of different polarities (such as petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol) for fractional extraction of crude extracts, the target compounds can be enriched in specific polar regions. 6-Hydroxymethyl isoquercetin is usually enriched in the ethyl acetate or n-butanol extraction layer.
2. Column chromatography method This is the core step of separation and purification. Common stationary phases include silica gel, polyamide, Sephadex LH-20, etc. Silica gel column chromatography is the most commonly used method, which can separate anthraquinone compounds of different polarities by adjusting the polarity gradient of eluents such as petroleum ether ethyl acetate, chloroform methanol, etc. Polyamide column chromatography has a special adsorption effect on compounds containing phenolic hydroxyl groups, such as anthraquinone, and is commonly used for further purification. Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatography is mainly based on molecular size for separation, which can be used to remove pigments or separate compounds with similar molecular weight.
3. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)For isomers with very similar structures or when high-purity samples are required, preparative HPLC is an effective means of final purification. Usually, a reverse phase C18 chromatographic column is used, with methanol water or acetonitrile water system as the mobile phase, and monitored by a UV detector (such as 254 nm or 280 nm).

The entire extraction and separation process requires real-time monitoring using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) or HPLC to track the distribution of the target compound. The final pure product was structurally confirmed by spectroscopic techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS).

Pharmacological activity research

The pharmacological activity research of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin mainly focuses on two fields: anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory, among which anti-tumor activity is currently a hot research topic.

1. Antitumor activity

Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have confirmed that 6-hydroxymethyl isorubicin exhibits significant proliferation inhibition and induces apoptosis in various types of tumor cells.

• Broad spectrum anti-tumor activity Research shows that 6-hydroxymethylisoalizarin can inhibit the growth of breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia and other tumor cells. Its half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC ₅₀) values for different tumor cells are usually in the micromolar range, demonstrating strong cytotoxicity. It is worth noting that this compound has relatively low toxicity to certain normal cells, suggesting that it may have some selectivity.
• Inducing cell apoptosis Multiple studies have confirmed that 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin mainly exerts anti-tumor effects by inducing apoptosis. The mechanism involves mitochondrial pathway (endogenous pathway) and death receptor pathway (exogenous pathway). For example, it can downregulate the expression of anti apoptotic proteins BCL2 and MCL1, while upregulating the expression of pro apoptotic protein BAX, leading to a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c, which in turn activates the cascade reaction of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3, ultimately leading to cell apoptosis.
• Inhibition of cell proliferation and cycle arrest In addition to inducing apoptosis, 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin can also inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. It can block the cell cycle in G0/G1 or G2/M phase by regulating the expression of cell cycle related proteins such as Cyclin D1, CDK4, p21, and p27, thereby inhibiting the unlimited proliferation of tumor cells.
• Inhibit tumor invasion and metastasis The invasion and metastasis of tumors are the main causes of patient death. Research has found that 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin can significantly inhibit the migration and invasion ability of tumor cells. The mechanism is closely related to the downregulation of the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP2. MMP2 can degrade the extracellular matrix and is a key enzyme for tumor cells to break through the basement membrane and undergo metastasis. In addition, it may also inhibit metastasis by suppressing the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) process.
• Angiogenesis inhibition The growth and metastasis of tumors depend on the formation of new blood vessels. 6-Hydroxymethyl isoquercetin has been found to inhibit the expression and stability of hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A). HIF1A is a key transcription factor that responds to low oxygen environments and can upregulate the expression of angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). By inhibiting HIF1A, this compound can indirectly suppress tumor angiogenesis and cut off the nutritional supply to the tumor.

2. Anti inflammatory activity

Inflammation is an important driving factor for the occurrence and development of many diseases, including cancer. 6-Hydroxymethyl isoquercetin has been preliminarily validated for its anti-inflammatory activity as a candidate compound for treating inflammatory diseases.

• Inhibit inflammatory mediators In vitro experiments have shown that 6-hydroxymethyl isorubicin can inhibit the production of key inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE ₂) by macrophages (such as RAW264.7 cells) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2).
• Inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines This compound can also effectively reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor - α (TNF - α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β) induced by LPS. These cytokines play a central role in the inflammatory cascade.
• Regulating inflammatory signaling pathways Its anti-inflammatory effect is closely related to the regulation of key inflammatory signaling pathways, especially the inhibition of STAT3 and MAPK signaling pathways. STAT3 is a key transcription factor that mediates signal transduction of various inflammatory factors, while the MAPK (such as p38, JNK, ERK) pathway also plays an important role in inflammatory response. 6-Hydroxymethyl isoquercetin can inhibit the phosphorylation activation of these pathways, thereby blocking the transmission of inflammatory signals.

Mechanism of action and molecular targets

The pharmacological activity of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin, especially its anti-tumor effect, does not originate from a single target, but rather forms a complex regulatory network by acting on multiple signaling nodes within the cell. Its core mechanism of action can be summarized as regulating multiple key signaling pathways and intervening in multiple important molecular targets.

1. Regulation of apoptosis related proteins

• MCL1 and BCL2 MCL1 and BCL2 are key anti apoptotic proteins in the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family, highly expressed in various tumors, and closely related to tumor occurrence, development, and chemotherapy resistance. 6-Hydroxymethylisorubicin can significantly downregulate the mRNA and protein levels of MCL1 and BCL2, disrupt the balance between pro apoptotic and anti apoptotic proteins in cells, and thus initiate the apoptotic program of the mitochondrial pathway. This is one of the core mechanisms by which it induces apoptosis in tumor cells.
• STAT3 Signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 3 (STAT3) is a key transcription factor that is continuously activated in various tumors, promoting cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and immune escape. 6-Hydroxymethylisorubicin can inhibit the phosphorylation of STAT3 (especially at the Tyr705 site), preventing its dimerization and incorporation into the nucleus, thereby suppressing the transcription of downstream target genes (including MCL1, BCL2, Cyclin D1, VEGF, etc.). Therefore, the inhibition of STAT3 is an upstream hub mechanism for the compound to exert multiple anti-tumor activities.

2. Regulation of tumor invasion and metastasis related targets

• MMP2 Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) is a key enzyme that degrades type IV collagen (the main component of the basement membrane) and plays a decisive role in tumor invasion and metastasis. 6-Hydroxymethyl isoquercetin can directly inhibit the enzymatic activity of MMP2 and downregulate its protein expression level, effectively weakening the migration and invasion ability of tumor cells.
• HIF1A Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A) is a core regulatory factor for cells to adapt to low oxygen environments. In the tumor microenvironment, stable expression of HIF1A drives malignant phenotypes such as angiogenesis, enhanced glycolysis, and metastasis. 6-Hydroxymethyl isoquercetin can promote the degradation or inhibition of HIF1A protein synthesis, reduce the protein level of HIF1A, and thereby inhibit the expression of downstream target genes such as VEGF, exerting anti angiogenic and anti metastatic effects.

3. Regulation of DNA Topoisomerase and Cell Proliferation

• TOP1 and TOP2A DNA topoisomerases I (TOP1) and II α (TOP2A) are key enzymes that regulate DNA topology and are indispensable in processes such as DNA replication, transcription, and chromosome separation. Many effective anti-tumor drugs, such as camptothecin and anthracycline, exert cytotoxicity by inhibiting topoisomerases. Research has shown that 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin can inhibit the activity of TOP1 and TOP2A, leading to DNA damage and replication fork arrest, thereby inducing cell cycle arrest and cell death. This may be another important mechanism of its anti-tumor activity.
• MAPK1 Mitogen activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1, also known as ERK2) is a key member of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway, which plays a central role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. In various tumors, this pathway is often abnormally activated due to upstream gene mutations. The regulatory effect of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin on MAPK1 is complex and may vary depending on cell type and stimulation conditions. In some cases, it may block proliferation signals by inhibiting the phosphorylation of ERK; In other cases, apoptosis may also be induced by sustained activation of ERK.

4. Regulation of hormone related tumor targets

• ESR1 and CYP19A1 Estrogen receptor α (ESR1) and aromatase (CYP19A1) are two key targets in the treatment of breast cancer, especially hormone receptor positive breast cancer. ESR1 mediates the pro proliferative signal of estrogen, while CYP19A1 is a key enzyme in the body that converts androgens into estrogen. 6-hydroxymethylisoalizarin was found to be able to down regulate the expression of ESR1 and inhibit the enzyme activity of CYP19A1, thereby blocking estrogen signaling pathway at multiple levels and playing an anti hormone dependent breast cancer role. This provides a new basis for its application in the treatment of breast cancer.

In summary, 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin forms a multidimensional regulatory network involving apoptosis, proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and hormone signaling by directly or indirectly acting on multiple targets such as MCL1, BCL2, STAT3, MMP2, TOP1, HIF1A, TOP2A, MAPK1, ESR1, CYP19A1, etc. This multi-target mode of action is a potential reason for its broad-spectrum anti-tumor activity and low susceptibility to drug resistance.

Evaluation of drug properties and pharmacokinetics

Developing natural products into clinical drugs requires not only clear pharmacological activity, but also a systematic evaluation of their drug like and pharmacokinetic properties. Based on the physical and chemical parameters and preliminary predictions mentioned earlier, a preliminary evaluation of the pharmacological properties of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin can be conducted.

1. Evaluation of drug properties

• Lipinski's Rule of Five This rule is a classic standard for evaluating the pharmacological properties of oral medications. The molecular weight (270.24<500), LogP (2.56<5), number of hydrogen bond donors (3 hydroxyl groups, i.e. 3<5), and number of hydrogen bond acceptors (6 oxygen atoms, i.e. 6<10) of 6-hydroxymethyl isorubicin all meet the regulatory requirements, indicating that it has the basic chemical skeleton characteristics to become an oral drug.
• Water solubility Its water solubility (LogS=0.1247) is poor, which is a common problem among many polycyclic aromatic natural products. Low water solubility may lead to incomplete oral absorption and low bioavailability, which is a major challenge in drug development. Improvements need to be made through formulation techniques such as nanoparticles, liposomes, cyclodextrin inclusion complexes, or prodrug design.
• safety Preliminary predictions indicate that it has no hERG inhibitory activity and a low risk of Ames induced mutations, providing a positive signal for its safety. However, this is only a computer simulation prediction, and systematic in vitro and in vivo toxicology studies are still needed to comprehensively evaluate its safety, including toxicity to normal cells, hepatorenal toxicity, genetic toxicity, etc.
• Metabolic stability Multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups in the molecule are potential metabolic sites that may undergo rapid glucuronidation or sulfation in the body, resulting in high metabolic clearance rates and short half lives. This is a key factor affecting its in vivo efficacy, which needs to be validated through metabolic stability experiments such as liver microsomal incubation experiments.

2. Pharmacokinetic characteristics

At present, there is relatively limited publicly available research data on the pharmacokinetics of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin in vivo, but reasonable speculation can be made based on its physicochemical properties and studies of similar compounds.

• absorb Due to its moderate LogP, it theoretically has a certain membrane permeability, but low water solubility is the main obstacle limiting its absorption. After oral administration, its absorption may be incomplete and the absorption rate may be slow. The food effect may also affect its absorption.
• distribution Its TPSA value (94.83 Å ²) and LogP value suggest that its tissue distribution may be wide, but its blood-brain barrier penetration ability is low, which limits its application in central nervous system diseases, but also reduces the risk of central neurotoxicity. The plasma protein binding rate may be high, which can affect its free drug concentration and distribution volume.
• Metabolism The liver is the main organ for drug metabolism. 6-Hydroxymethyl isorubicin is likely to undergo phase II metabolism in the liver, which involves binding with glucuronic acid, sulfuric acid, etc., forming a more water-soluble complex that is easily excreted from bile or urine. In addition, phase I metabolism such as hydroxylation and methylation may also occur. The CYP450 enzyme system may be involved in its metabolism.
• excretion Metabolites and small amounts of prototype drugs may mainly enter the intestine through bile excretion and be excreted with feces. Some water-soluble metabolites may also be excreted in urine through the kidneys.

Overall, 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin has a certain pharmacological basis, but its low water solubility and potential rapid metabolism are the main challenges it faces. Future pharmaceutical chemistry research should focus on overcoming these obstacles through structural modifications (such as introducing polar groups, prodrug design) or advanced drug delivery systems, in order to obtain candidate molecules with better pharmacokinetic properties.

Clinical application prospects and prospects

Based on the unique pharmacological activity and multi-target mechanism of action of 6-hydroxymethyl isorubicin, it has shown broad application prospects in the treatment of various diseases, especially in the fields of tumors and inflammatory diseases.

1. Anti tumor therapy

• As a chemotherapy sensitizer Given its ability to downregulate anti apoptotic proteins such as MCL1 and BCL2, as well as inhibit survival signaling pathways such as STAT3, 6-hydroxymethyl isorubicin is expected to be used in combination with traditional chemotherapy drugs such as paclitaxel, cisplatin, and doxorubicin to overcome tumor cell resistance and enhance chemotherapy efficacy. This combination therapy strategy has shown synergistic effects in preclinical studies.
• Targeting specific tumor subtypes Its inhibitory effect on ESR1 and CYP19A1 makes it of special value in the treatment of hormone receptor positive breast cancer. It can be developed as a targeted therapeutic drug or endocrine therapy adjuvant drug for this type of breast cancer.
• Inhibit tumor metastasis By inhibiting MMP2 and HIF1A, this compound has the potential to prevent and treat tumor metastasis. This is of great significance for improving the prognosis of advanced cancer patients.
• As a lead compound Its novel chemical framework and clear structure-activity relationship provide excellent lead compounds for medicinal chemists. By modifying the 6-position hydroxyl group, 2-methyl group, and other sites, it is expected to develop derivatives with stronger activity, higher selectivity, and better pharmacokinetic properties.

2. Treatment of inflammatory diseases

• Chronic inflammatory diseases Its anti-inflammatory activity suggests that it may be used to treat chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, etc. By inhibiting the STAT3 and MAPK pathways, it can effectively control inflammatory responses and alleviate symptoms.
• acute inflammation In acute inflammation models such as acute lung injury and sepsis, 6-hydroxymethyl isorubicin may also play a protective role.

3. Future research directions

Despite the bright prospects, there are still many challenges to promote the clinical application of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin. Future research should focus on the following aspects:

• In depth pharmacokinetic research Conduct systematic pharmacokinetic studies in vivo to clarify its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) characteristics, particularly oral bioavailability and metabolic pathways. This is the key to determining whether it can become an oral medication.
• Toxicological evaluation of the system Conduct comprehensive acute and chronic toxicity experiments to evaluate its potential toxicity to major organs (heart, liver, kidney, lungs), as well as genetic toxicity, reproductive toxicity, etc. Determine its safe dosage range.
• Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) Study Systematically synthesize a series of derivatives of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin, study the effects of different substituents on their activity, selectivity, and pharmacokinetic properties, and search for the best candidate compounds.
• Drug delivery system development To address the issue of poor water solubility, new drug delivery systems such as nanoparticles, liposomes, and polymer micelles have been developed to improve their bioavailability and achieve targeted delivery.
• In vivo efficacy verification Further validate its in vivo efficacy and explore the optimal administration regimen in various animal tumor models (such as xenograft tumor models, in situ tumor models, transgenic mouse models) and inflammation models.

Conclusion

6-Hydroxymethylisorubicin, a natural anthraquinone compound derived from Yunnan madder, exhibits biological activity potential beyond its parent compound due to its unique 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone structure. It constructs a multi-level anti-tumor regulatory network by acting on a series of molecular targets closely related to tumor occurrence, development, metastasis, and drug resistance, such as MCL1, BCL2, STAT3, MMP2, TOP1, HIF1A, TOP2A, MAPK1, ESR1, CYP19A1, etc., while also exhibiting significant anti-inflammatory activity. The preliminary pharmacological evaluation also provides positive signals for its subsequent development.

Although there are still challenges in terms of pharmacokinetic properties and safety, 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin is undoubtedly a natural product lead compound with great research and development value. Future research requires the integration of multidisciplinary forces such as medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacy, toxicology, etc., to deeply elucidate their mechanisms of action, optimize their pharmacokinetic properties, and systematically evaluate their safety and in vivo efficacy. We have reason to believe that with the continuous deepening of research, 6-hydroxymethyl isorubicin and its derivatives are expected to provide new strategies and candidate drugs for the treatment of tumors and inflammatory diseases in the future, contributing to the cause of human health. The research process of 6-hydroxymethyl isoquercetin is a vivid embodiment of the concept of exploring the value of modern medicine from traditional herbs.