Research Progress on Anti-tumor Effect and Mechanism of Cucurbitacins
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20202463
- VernacularTitle:葫芦素抗肿瘤作用研究进展
- Author:
Wen-yu ZHAO
1
;
Fu-chun SI
1
;
Wen-bin WANG
1
Author Information
1. Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Prescription-syndrome Signal Transduction of Chinese Medicine， International Joint Laboratory of Prescription-syndrome Signal Transduction of Chinese Medicine in Henan Province， Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences，Henan University of Chinese Medicine， Zhengzhou 450046，China
- Publication Type:Research Article
- Keywords:
cucurbitacins;
tumor;
cell cycle;
cell apoptosis;
cell invasion and migration;
tumor angiogenesis
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2021;27(9):233-243
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Cancer is a major global public health problem. Statistics from the national cancer center of China also show that cancer has become a major disease threatening human health with increasing morbidity and mortality. The occurrence and development mechanism of cancer is complex， involving multiple stages， multiple genes and multiple signaling pathways. Conventional chemoradiotherapy and emerging targeted therapy methods are the main methods in treatment of tumor. However， the quality of life of patients as well as the sustained and effective therapeutic effect are seriously affected due to the toxic side effects and drug resistance. Therefore， it is the global focus to find safe and effective anti-cancer drugs. The research and development and application of anti-cancer herbal medicines such as paclitaxel， vinblastine， podophyllin， ginsenoside and ginseng polysaccharide have brought new hope for the treatment of cancer. Cucurbitacine from Chinese medicine cucurbitaceae plantsare is a kind of highly oxidized tetracyclic triterpene compound with extensive pharmacological effects and complex mechanism. In the family of cucurbitacines， cucurbitin B， D， E and I have been studied most frequently on anticancer effect， and in a large number of studies， they have been found to play an important role in tumor diseases of the digestive system， respiratory system， reproductive system， blood system， urinary system and so on. With significant effect in inhibiting tumor cells proliferation， blocking the cell cycle， inducing apoptosis and autophagy death， inhibiting cell migration and invasion， inhibiting tumor angiogenesis， regulating the levels of reactive oxygen species and regulating immune system， such cucurbitacins are expected to be developed as a new kind of anti-cancer drugs. The authors of this study aim to provide reference for the further research and development of new anti-cancer drugs about cucurbitines by summarizing the anti-tumor effect and mechanism of the cucurbitacins.
