Role of Ginseng, Quercetin, and Tea in Enhancing Chemotherapeutic Efficacy of Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

As the most common gastrointestinal malignancy, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Although multimodal chemotherapy has effectively improved the prognosis of patients with CRC in recent years, severe chemotherapy-associated side effects and chemoresistance still greatly impair efficacy and limit its clinical application. In response to these challenges, an increasing number of traditional Chinese medicines have been used as synergistic agents for CRC administration. In particular, ginseng, quercetin, and tea, three common dietary supplements, have been shown to possess the potent capacity of enhancing the sensitivity of various chemotherapy drugs and reducing their side effects. Ginseng, also named “the king of herbs”, contains a great variety of anti-cancer compounds, among which ginsenosides are the most abundant and major research objects of various anti-tumor studies. Quercetin is a flavonoid and has been detected in multiple common foods, which possesses a wide range of pharmacological properties, especially with stronger anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. As one of the most consumed beverages, tea has become particularly prevalent in both West and East in recent years. Tea and its major extracts, such as catechins and various constituents, were capable of significantly improving life quality and exerting anti-cancer effects both in vivo and in vitro. In this review, we mainly focused on the adjunctive effects of the three herbs and their constituents on the chemotherapy process of CRC.

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Propolis and Its Polyphenolic Compounds against Cancer

“…On the other hand, one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment is the ongoing autocrine and paracrine activation of proinflammatory transcription factors, such as NF- κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT-3), activator protein 1 (AP-1), forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1), and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) that drive the overproduction of diverse mediators of inflammation—inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, cellular adhesion molecules, anti-apoptotic molecules, and iNOS [ 237 , 238 , 239 , 240 , 241 , 242 , 243 , 244 , 245 , 246 , 247 , 248 , 249 , 250 , 251 , 252 ]. Regarding propolis and its components, numerous studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of various flavonoids [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 38 , 174 , 198 , 237 , 238 , 239 , 240 , 241 , 242 , 243 , 244 , 245 , 246 , 247 , 248 , 249 , 250 , 251 , 252 ]. The anti-inflammatory properties of several flavonols (quercetin, rutin, and morin) and flavanones (hesperetin and hesperidin) were examined in animal models of acute and chronic inflammation.…”

“…Galangin inhibits COX and LOX activity, and reduces PGE2 release and the expression of the inducible isoform of COX (COX-2) [ 161 , 249 , 250 ]. Besides galangin, many authors [ 240 , 251 , 252 , 253 , 254 ] have emphasized the anti-inflammatory contribution of quercetin. For example, quercetin attenuated TNF-α-mediated induction of IL-8 and MCP-1 expression by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB.…”

The Diet as a Modulator of Tumor Microenvironment in Colorectal Cancer Patients

“…In fact, several natural compounds, currently used all round the world but traditionally considered Chinese medicines, significantly improve life quality and combat cancer by creating synergies in CRC chemotherapy administration, enhancing the chemopreventive functions of 5-FU and reducing its side-effects. These products include quercetin, ginseng (with ginsenosides, flavonoids, polypeptides, and polysaccharides), and tea (derived from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, rich in catechins and polyphenols) [ 39 ]. Numerous studies have shown that Tea polyphenols (TPs) can alter a number of signaling pathways in cancer cells, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, PI3K/Akt pathway, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and 67 kDa laminin receptor pathway, to inhibit proliferation and promote cell apoptosis [ 48 ].…”

Targeting of non-apoptotic cancer cell death mechanisms by quercetin: Implications in cancer therapy

“…As the most popular dietary flavonoid, quercetin has the wealthiest resources ( Figure 1 ), with β-glucoside being the main form of quercetin that exists in the diet. In the gastrointestinal tract, glycosides are highly dependent on microbially-derived β-glucosidases for hydrolyzing to the aglycon before their absorption and transportation take place ( Zhao L. et al, 2022a ). In intestinal epithelial cells, quercetin is extensively metabolized to quercetin-3- and quercetin-7-glucuronide.…”