title: Microtubule-binding natural products for cancer therapy.
abstract: Natural products, especially microtubule-binding natural products, play important roles in the war against cancer. From the clinical use of vinblastine in 1961, paclitaxel in 1992, to ixabepilone in 2007, microtubule-binding natural products have continually contributed to the development of cancer therapy. The present review summarizes the development of representative microtubule-binding natural products including agents binding to the colchicine-binding site, the VINCA alkaloid-binding site, the taxane-binding site and other binding sites. Future directions for the development of new anticancer microtubule-binding natural products are discussed. Finding new formulations, new targets and new sources of microtubule-binding natural products may enable more members of this kind of agent to be introduced into the clinic for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P R China.
authors.forename: Qing-Xi
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: De-An
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001665:Binding Sites; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003078:Colchicine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D034261:Epothilones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D043823:Taxoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D034261:Epothilones; D043823:Taxoids; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids; C080625:taxane; D003078:Colchicine