Therapeutic Potential of Emodin for Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers cause one-third of all cancer-related deaths worldwide. Natural compounds are emerging as alternative or adjuvant cancer therapies given their distinct advantage of manipulating multiple pathways to both suppress tumor growth and alleviate cancer comorbidities; however, concerns regarding efficacy, bioavailability, and safety are barriers to their development for clinical use. Emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone), a Chinese herb-derived anthraquinone, has been shown to exert anti-tumor effects in colon, liver, and pancreatic cancers. While the mechanisms underlying emodin's tumoricidal effects continue to be unearthed, recent evidence highlights a role for mitochondrial mediated apoptosis, modulated stress and inflammatory signaling pathways, and blunted angiogenesis. The goals of this review are to (1) highlight emodin's anti-cancer properties within GI cancers, (2) discuss the known anti-cancer mechanisms of action of emodin, (3) address emodin's potential as a treatment complementary to standard chemotherapeutics, (4) assess the efficacy and bioavailability of emodin derivatives as they relate to cancer, and (5) evaluate the safety of emodin.

• Authors: Sierra J McDonald, Brandon N VanderVeen, Kandy T Velazquez, Reilly T Enos, Ciaran M Fairman, Thomas D Cardaci, Daping Fan, E Angela Murphy
• Journal: Integrative cancer therapies (Integr Cancer Ther) 2022 Jan-Dec Vol. 21 Pg. 15347354211067469 ISSN: 1552-695X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34984952 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Emodin

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Apoptosis
• Emodin (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Gastrointestinal Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Signal Transduction