Molecular targets of β-elemene, a herbal extract used in traditional Chinese medicine, and its potential role in cancer therapy: A review

Publication date: June 2019Source: Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Volume 114Author(s): Bingtao Zhai, Nana Zhang, Xuemeng Han, Qiujie Li, Mingming Zhang, Xiaying Chen, Guohua Li, Ruonan Zhang, Peng Chen, Wengang Wang, Chenxi Li, Yu Xiang, Shuiping Liu, Ting Duan, Jianshu Lou, Tian Xie, Xinbing SuiAbstractβ-Elemene is a sesquiterpene compound extracted from the herb Curcuma Rhizoma and is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat several types of cancer, with no reported severe adverse effects. Recent studies, using in vitro and in vivo studies combined with molecular methods, have shown that β-elemene can inhibit cell proliferation, arrest the cell cycle, and induce cell apoptosis. Recent studies have identified the molecular targets of β-elemene that may have a role in cancer therapy. This review aims to discuss the anticancer potential of β-elemene through its actions on several molecular targets including kinase enzymes, transcription factors, growth factors and their receptors, and proteins. β-Elemene also regulates the expression of several key molecules that are involved in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin. Also, β-elemene has been shown to have regulatory effects on the immune response and increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemoradiotherapy and has shown effects on multidrug resistance (MDR) in malignancy. Recent studies...
Source: Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research