Tanshinones: Sources, Pharmacokinetics and Anti-Cancer Activities

Abstract

Tanshinones are a class of abietane diterpene compound isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen or Tanshen in Chinese), a well-known herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Since they were first identified in the 1930s, more than 40 lipophilic tanshinones and structurally related compounds have been isolated from Danshen. In recent decades, numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the isolation, identification, synthesis and pharmacology of tanshinones. In addition to the well-studied cardiovascular activities, tanshinones have been investigated more recently for their anti-cancer activities in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we update the herbal and alternative sources of tanshinones, and the pharmacokinetics of selected tanshinones. We discuss anti-cancer properties and identify critical issues for future research. Whereas previous studies have suggested anti-cancer potential of tanshinones affecting multiple cellular processes and molecular targets in cell culture models, data from in vivo potency assessment experiments in preclinical models vary greatly due to lack of uniformity of solvent vehicles and routes of administration. Chemical modifications and novel formulations had been made to address the poor oral bioavailability of tanshinones. So far, human clinical trials have been far from ideal in their design and execution for the purpose of supporting an anti-cancer indication of tanshinones.

Plant Bioactive Metabolites and Drugs Produced by Endophytic Fungi of Spermatophyta

“…exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects [190]. These compounds have been also extracted from endophytic strains of the same plant, particularly TR21 of Emericella foeniculicola [191], and D16 of Trichoderma atroviride [192].…”

The Herbal Compound Cryptotanshinone Restores Sensitivity in Cancer Cells That Are Resistant to the Tumor Necrosis Factor-related Apoptosis-inducing Ligand

“…Among the major tanshinones isolated, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, and dihydrotanshinone, tanshinone IIA have been shown to exert multiple anti-cancer activities including induction of * This work was supported by Hong Kong Baptist University Grants HKBU apoptosis and inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis (8). Furthermore, tanshinones hold promise as sensitizing agents for chemotherapy and radiotherapy to enhance the cytotoxic effects of anti-cancer agents such as TNF-␣ (9), 5-fluorouracil (10), and ␥-irradiation (11).…”

The anticancer properties of phytochemical extracts from Salvia plants

“…In recent years, the potential use of Salvia as a new anticancer agent has been recognized. [25][26][27][28] Therefore, in this article, the anticancer property of phytochemicals from Salvia plants including their mechanism of action is reviewed.…”