Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of action
Conventional chemotherapeutic agents are often toxic not only to tumor cells but also to normal cells, limiting their therapeutic use in the clinic. Novel natural product anticancer compounds present an attractive alternative to synthetic compounds, based on their favorable safety and efficacy profi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2012-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphar.2012.00025/full |
| _version_ | 1819059097162481664 |
|---|---|
| author | Subhasree Ashok Nag Jiangjiang eQin Wei eWang Wei eWang Ming-Hai eWang Ming-Hai eWang Hui eWang Ruiwen eZhang Ruiwen eZhang |
| author_facet | Subhasree Ashok Nag Jiangjiang eQin Wei eWang Wei eWang Ming-Hai eWang Ming-Hai eWang Hui eWang Ruiwen eZhang Ruiwen eZhang |
| author_sort | Subhasree Ashok Nag |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Conventional chemotherapeutic agents are often toxic not only to tumor cells but also to normal cells, limiting their therapeutic use in the clinic. Novel natural product anticancer compounds present an attractive alternative to synthetic compounds, based on their favorable safety and efficacy profiles. Several pre-clinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the anticancer potential of Panax ginseng, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine. The anti-tumor efficacy of ginseng is attributed mainly to the presence of saponins, known as ginsenosides. In this review, we focus on how ginsenosides exert their anticancer effects by modulation of diverse signaling pathways, including regulation of cell proliferation mediators (CDKs and cyclins), growth factors (c-myc, EGFR, and VEGF), tumor suppressors (p53 and p21), oncogenes (MDM2), cell death mediators (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, XIAP, caspases, and death receptors), inflammatory response molecules (NF-κB and COX2), and protein kinases (JNK, Akt, and AMPK). We also discuss the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of various ginsenosides and their potential in the treatment of various human cancers. In summary, recent advances in the discovery and evaluation of ginsenosides as cancer therapeutic agents support further preclinical and clinical development of these agents for the treatment of primary and metastatic tumors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:05:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-faefeafa0b464fa1a4cfa5dfcea82133 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-9812 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:05:40Z |
| publishDate | 2012-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| spelling | doaj.art-faefeafa0b464fa1a4cfa5dfcea821332022-12-21T19:01:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122012-02-01310.3389/fphar.2012.0002522714Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of actionSubhasree Ashok Nag0Jiangjiang eQin1Wei eWang2Wei eWang3Ming-Hai eWang4Ming-Hai eWang5Hui eWang6Ruiwen eZhang7Ruiwen eZhang8Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterChinese Academy of SciencesTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterConventional chemotherapeutic agents are often toxic not only to tumor cells but also to normal cells, limiting their therapeutic use in the clinic. Novel natural product anticancer compounds present an attractive alternative to synthetic compounds, based on their favorable safety and efficacy profiles. Several pre-clinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the anticancer potential of Panax ginseng, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine. The anti-tumor efficacy of ginseng is attributed mainly to the presence of saponins, known as ginsenosides. In this review, we focus on how ginsenosides exert their anticancer effects by modulation of diverse signaling pathways, including regulation of cell proliferation mediators (CDKs and cyclins), growth factors (c-myc, EGFR, and VEGF), tumor suppressors (p53 and p21), oncogenes (MDM2), cell death mediators (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, XIAP, caspases, and death receptors), inflammatory response molecules (NF-κB and COX2), and protein kinases (JNK, Akt, and AMPK). We also discuss the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of various ginsenosides and their potential in the treatment of various human cancers. In summary, recent advances in the discovery and evaluation of ginsenosides as cancer therapeutic agents support further preclinical and clinical development of these agents for the treatment of primary and metastatic tumors.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphar.2012.00025/fullGinsenosidesclinical trialsmolecular mechanismanticancer activitiesPanax genusPanax ginseng |
| spellingShingle | Subhasree Ashok Nag Jiangjiang eQin Wei eWang Wei eWang Ming-Hai eWang Ming-Hai eWang Hui eWang Ruiwen eZhang Ruiwen eZhang Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of action Frontiers in Pharmacology Ginsenosides clinical trials molecular mechanism anticancer activities Panax genus Panax ginseng |
| title | Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of action |
| title_full | Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of action |
| title_fullStr | Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of action |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of action |
| title_short | Ginsenosides as anticancer agents: in vitro and in vivo activities, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of action |
| title_sort | ginsenosides as anticancer agents in vitro and in vivo activities structure activity relationships and molecular mechanisms of action |
| topic | Ginsenosides clinical trials molecular mechanism anticancer activities Panax genus Panax ginseng |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphar.2012.00025/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT subhasreeashoknag ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT jiangjiangeqin ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT weiewang ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT weiewang ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT minghaiewang ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT minghaiewang ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT huiewang ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT ruiwenezhang ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction AT ruiwenezhang ginsenosidesasanticanceragentsinvitroandinvivoactivitiesstructureactivityrelationshipsandmolecularmechanismsofaction |