Anti-tumor effects of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana

Abstract Since the incidence of cancer has been on the rise due to increasing exposure to various carcinogenic factors in recent years, cancer has gradually become the first killer to the health of human beings. A growing attention has been paid to anti-cancer effects of traditional Chinese medicine...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yanan Zhao, Ailin Yang, Pengfei Tu, Zhongdong Hu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2017-09-01
Series:Chinese Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13020-017-0149-6
Description
Summary:Abstract Since the incidence of cancer has been on the rise due to increasing exposure to various carcinogenic factors in recent years, cancer has gradually become the first killer to the health of human beings. A growing attention has been paid to anti-cancer effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with low toxicity and good efficacy. As a kind of TCM, Periplaneta americana (P. americana) has a good effect on clinical application, and its anti-tumor effects has been increasingly well studied. In this review, the research progress on the anti-tumor effects of P. americana was summarized. The main mechanisms of its anti-tumor effects include suppression of tumor cell growth, induction of cell cycle arrest and tumor cell apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, enhancement of immunity, and reversal of tumor drug resistance. This review aims to provide an overview of the research on anti-tumor effects of P. americana and aids in its further application as an anti-tumor drug.
ISSN:1749-8546