title: Withaferin A and its potential role in glioblastoma (GBM).
abstract: Within the Ayurvedic medical tradition of India, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a well-known herb. A large number of withanolides have been isolated from both its roots and its leaves and many have been assessed for their pharmacological activities. Amongst them, Withaferin A is one of its most bioactive phytoconstituents. Due to the lactonal steroid's potential to modulate multiple oncogenic pathways, Withaferin A has gained much attention as a possible anti-neoplastic agent. This review focuses on the use of Withaferin A alone, or in combination with other treatments, as a newer option for therapy against the most aggressive variant of brain tumors, Glioblastoma. We survey the various studies that delineate Withaferin A's anticancer mechanisms, its toxicity profiles, its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and its immuno-modulating properties.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jasdeep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dhami
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford and Canary Center at Stanford for Early Cancer Detection, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford and Canary Center at Stanford for Early Cancer Detection, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA. sgambhir@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Sanjiv S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gambhir
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054358:Withanolides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D054358:Withanolides; C009684:withaferin A
keywords: Anticancer; Ashwagandha; Glioblastoma; Immunomodulation; Oncogenic pathways; Pharmacodynamics; Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacological; Withaferin A; Withania somnifera; Withanolides