title: Antitumor activities of kushen: literature review.
abstract: To discover and develop novel natural compounds with therapeutic selectivity or that can preferentially kill cancer cells without significant toxicity to normal cells is an important area in cancer chemotherapy. Kushen, the dried roots of Sophora flavescens Aiton, has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory diseases and cancer. Kushen alkaloids (KS-As) and kushen flavonoids (KS-Fs) are well-characterized components in kushen. KS-As containing oxymatrine, matrine, and total alkaloids have been developed in China as anticancer drugs. More potent antitumor activities were identified in KS-Fs than in KS-As in vitro and in vivo. KS-Fs may be developed as novel antitumor agents.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 528 Zhangheng Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Mingyu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Hongyan
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authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shu
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authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yanqin
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authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Jun
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authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Yiyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Chenghai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lieming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ping
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authors.lastname: Liu