The anticancer potency of artemisinin and its derivatives

Abstract

Artemisinin and its derivatives (Artemisinins) have long been used as antimalaria drugs with considerable safety and efficacy. In recent preclinical research, artemisinins also exert an anticancer potency via induction of programmed cell death and inhibition of cell growth. Artemisinins can be activated by heme to form Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which damage lipids or activate mitochondria-mediated pathway to induce caspase cascades. Artemisinins also get involved in the regulation of protein and gene expression to inhibit the VEGF signaling pathway that is responsible for cell growth and survival. In this review, we focus on current knowledge of the modulation of some detailed pathways that induce apoptosis and inhibit cell growth, including iron-dependent pathway, mitochondrial-mediated pathway, and VEGF signaling pathway. We also collect up-to-date researches to support their efficacy. With future research and clinical investigation on artemisinins, more detailed molecular mechanisms and anticancer effects will be identified and confirmed.