title: Molecular evidence of cryptotanshinone for treatment and prevention of human cancer.
abstract: Cryptotanshinone is one of the major tanshinones isolated from the roots of the plant Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen). Danshen has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of a variety of diseases, including coronary artery disease, acute ischemic stroke, hyperlipidemia, chronic renal failure, chronic hepatitis, and Alzheimer's disease, showing no serious adverse effects. Recent studies have shown that cryptotanshinone not only possesses the potential for treatment and prevention of the above-mentioned diseases, but also is a potent anticancer agent. Here we briefly summarize the physical and chemical properties and the pharmacokinetic profiles of cryptotanshinone, and then comprehensively review its anticancer activities as well as the underlying mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, China. chenwxcn@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Wenxing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Guangying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shile
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010618:Phenanthrolines / Q000737:chemistry; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D010618:Phenanthrolines; C028972:dan-shen root extract; C037886:cryptotanshinone; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases