title: [Recent advances in chemistry and biology of gamboge].
abstract: Gamboge, the resin of Garcinia hanburyi has had a long history of use as the traditional dye as well as a complementary and alternative medicine. The antitumor activities of gamboge have been well demonstrated by inhibiting the growth and progression of cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. In order to further clarify the mode of action of gamboge, there are three key questions needed to be answered, including what's in gamboge? How do the chemical components from gamboge work on cancer cells? How do biological systems work on the chemical components from gamboge after administration? In this review, we summarize the explorations of the answers toward these questions according to the recent progress in both of chemistry and biology research of gamboge. In addition, the implication in the future research and discovery of the caged G. xanthones as anticancer agents is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Nanjing 210009, China. yangjing54@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Wen-Yuan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Qing-Long
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Qi-Dong
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D029760:Garcinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012116:Resins, Plant