Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a malignant haematopoietic system disease 1 rooted in aberrant bone marrow cells, and its clinical manifestations include fever, frequent infection, 2 easy bleeding and bruising. 3 According to the latest data published by CA: A Cancer Journal for clinicians, the incidence of AML has been increasing worldwide in the past 20 years, whereas the 5-year survival rate for adults is only 30%. 4 The mechanisms of AML pathogenesis involve specific chromosome translocations most commonly involving t (15;17) and t (8;21) ect 5,6 and the pathogenesis pathways are associated with the P53 and AMPK signalling pathways. 7 The most commonly used induction treatment regimen for AML is cytarabine combined with anthracycline agents and stem cell transplantation; however, severe toxic effects, high rates of relapse and resistance are limitations to its application for clinical use. 8,9 In the late 1980s, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) was used clinically in patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), providing the first successful cure case. 10 However, ATRA has limited efficacy in other AML subtypes, and serious side effects such as retinoic acid