Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials
Artemisinin and its derivatives have shown broad-spectrum antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, outcomes from a limited number of clinical trials provide encouraging evidence for their excellent antitumor activities. However, some problems such as poor solubility, toxicity and cont...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2020.529881/full |
| _version_ | 1818992162900017152 |
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| author | Cangcang Xu Huihui Zhang Lingli Mu Xiaoping Yang |
| author_facet | Cangcang Xu Huihui Zhang Lingli Mu Xiaoping Yang |
| author_sort | Cangcang Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Artemisinin and its derivatives have shown broad-spectrum antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, outcomes from a limited number of clinical trials provide encouraging evidence for their excellent antitumor activities. However, some problems such as poor solubility, toxicity and controversial mechanisms of action hamper their use as effective antitumor agents in the clinic. In order to accelerate the use of ARTs in the clinic, researchers have recently developed novel therapeutic approaches including developing novel derivatives, manufacturing novel nano-formulations, and combining ARTs with other drugs for cancer therapy. The related mechanisms of action were explored. This review describes ARTs used to induce non-apoptotic cell death containing oncosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. Moreover, it highlights the ARTs-caused effects on cancer metabolism, immunosuppression and cancer stem cells and discusses clinical trials of ARTs used to treat cancer. The review provides additional insight into the molecular mechanism of action of ARTs and their considerable clinical potential. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:21:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea799e7c97124c179920fcb3f8d0e563 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-9812 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:21:47Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea799e7c97124c179920fcb3f8d0e5632022-12-21T19:27:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122020-10-011110.3389/fphar.2020.529881529881Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical TrialsCangcang XuHuihui ZhangLingli MuXiaoping YangArtemisinin and its derivatives have shown broad-spectrum antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, outcomes from a limited number of clinical trials provide encouraging evidence for their excellent antitumor activities. However, some problems such as poor solubility, toxicity and controversial mechanisms of action hamper their use as effective antitumor agents in the clinic. In order to accelerate the use of ARTs in the clinic, researchers have recently developed novel therapeutic approaches including developing novel derivatives, manufacturing novel nano-formulations, and combining ARTs with other drugs for cancer therapy. The related mechanisms of action were explored. This review describes ARTs used to induce non-apoptotic cell death containing oncosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. Moreover, it highlights the ARTs-caused effects on cancer metabolism, immunosuppression and cancer stem cells and discusses clinical trials of ARTs used to treat cancer. The review provides additional insight into the molecular mechanism of action of ARTs and their considerable clinical potential.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2020.529881/fullartemisininsantitumormechanism of actionclinical trialstherapeutic approach |
| spellingShingle | Cangcang Xu Huihui Zhang Lingli Mu Xiaoping Yang Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials Frontiers in Pharmacology artemisinins antitumor mechanism of action clinical trials therapeutic approach |
| title | Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials |
| title_full | Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials |
| title_fullStr | Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials |
| title_short | Artemisinins as Anticancer Drugs: Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials |
| title_sort | artemisinins as anticancer drugs novel therapeutic approaches molecular mechanisms and clinical trials |
| topic | artemisinins antitumor mechanism of action clinical trials therapeutic approach |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2020.529881/full |
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