SMAD3 and Hepatic fibrosis: Studies showed that apigenin can alleviate hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting HSC activation and autophagy via TGF-β1/Smad3 and p38/PPARα pathways, and regulating VEGF-mediated FAK phosphorylation through the MAPKs, PI3K/Akt, HIF-1, ROS, and eNOS pathways.[28–30] Quercetin is the major representative of the flavonoid subclass of flavones, widely found in fruits, vegetables, and many herbal medicines.