Roles of Reactive Oxygen Species in Anticancer Therapy with Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

• Published in: Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity 2016-01, Vol.2016 (2016), p.1-10
• Main Authors: Hung, Y.-C., Hu, Wen-Long, Pan, Tai-Long
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Animals; Antimitotic agents; Antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Apoptosis; Cancer; Care and treatment; Chinese medicine; Development and progression; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - chemistry; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Health aspects; Humans; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Kinases; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Metastasis; Mitogens; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - metabolism; Protein kinases; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Review; Salvia miltiorrhiza - chemistry; Telomerase; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor proteins; Tyrosine
• ISSN: 1942-0900; 1942-0994
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/5293284

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. We aim to provide a systematic review about the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in anticancer therapy with Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen). Danshen, including its lipophilic and hydrophilic constituents, is potentially beneficial for treating various cancers. The mechanisms of ROS-related anticancer effects of Danshen vary depending on the specific type of cancer cells involved. Danshen may enhance TNF-α-induced apoptosis, upregulate caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, endoplasmic reticulum stress, P21, P53, Bax/Bcl-2, DR5, and AMP-activated protein kinase, or activate the p38/JNK, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and FasL signaling pathways. Conversely, Danshen may downregulate human telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA, telomerase, survivin, vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, CD31, NF-κB, Erk1/2, matrix metalloproteinases, microtubule assembly, and receptor tyrosine kinases including epidermal growth factor receptors, HER2, and P-glycoprotein and inhibit the PI3K/Akt/mTOR or estrogen receptor signaling pathways. Therefore, Danshen may inhibit cancer cells proliferation through antioxidation on tumor initiation and induce apoptosis or autophagy through ROS generation on tumor progression, tumor promotion, and tumor metastasis. Based on the available evidence regarding its anticancer properties, this review provides new insights for further anticancer research or clinical trials with Danshen.