The Anticancer Effect of Napabucasin (BBI608), a Natural Naphthoquinone

Abstract

Napabucasin (also known as BBI608) is a natural naphthoquinone originally identified as a cancer cell stemness inhibitor. Accumulated in vitro and in vivo evidence demonstrated that napabucasin showed significant anticancer effects in various types of cancers. Napabucasin inhibits cancer cell proliferation, induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and suppresses metastasis and relapse. Such anticancer activities of napabucasin mainly rely on the inhibition of cancer stemness by targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and its related gene inhibition. However, several novel molecular targets for napabucasin, such as NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1), have been reported. Napabucasin represents a promising anticancer lead for multiple cancers. In this mini review, the anticancer potential and the molecular mechanism of napabucasin will be briefly highlighted.

The Impact of Cancer Stem Cells in Colorectal Cancer

“…Demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo, napabucasin's anticancer effects, coupled with ongoing clinical trials showing its synergistic effects with conventional chemotherapy, underscore its potential as a promising anticancer therapy. However, clinical application of napabucasin requires careful monitoring of side effects, particularly gastrointestinal disturbances, to balance its therapeutic benefits with potential risks [111,112].…”