Tanshinone II-A: new perspectives for old remedies

Figures & data

Table 1. Overview of clinical trials of Danshen and tanshinone II-A.

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier	Study title	Conditions
NCT01563770	Cardiovascular Effects of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Extract (Danshen)	Dyslipidemia Hypertension Vasodilation Oxidative stress Inflammation
NCT01637675	Efficacy and Safety Study of Tanshinone IIA Sodium Sulfonate to Treat Pulmonary Hypertension (STS)	Pulmonary hypertension Cardiovascular diseases Lung diseases
NCT01452477	Tanshinone in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome	Polycystic ovary syndrome
NCT01033630	Cardiovascular-Protective Effects of Herbal Medicine Danshen-Gegen*	Hypertension
NCT01502943	Studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Efficacy Evaluation Index*	Coronary heart disease Stable angina pectoris
NCT00797953	Phase II Multi-Center Study of T89 to Treat Chronic Stable Angina*	Chronic stable angina pectoris
NCT01659580	Phase III Trial of Dantonic® (T89) Capsule to Prevent and Treat Stable Angina (CAESA)	Chronic table angina pectoris

Source: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

T89, also known as Dantonic Dripping Pill or Cardiotonic Pill.

*Trials that have been completed.

Figure 1. Publications covering tanshinone from 2002–2012 and the chemical structures of tanshinone II-A and crypotanshinone.

Table 2. Molecular targets of tanshinone II-A

Targets of tanshinone II-A	Specific target proteins
Transcription factors	NF-κB, PPAR-γ, Nrf-2, STAT-1, STAT-3, AP-1, Smad-3, Smad-7, HIF-1α, β-catenin
Scavenger receptors	CD36, SR-A, LOX-1
Cytokines and chemokines	IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, MIF, CXCR4, P-selectin
Ion channels and water channel	KCNE1, Kv2.1, ATP-sensitive K^+ channel, BK-Ca, AQP1, AQP5
microRNA	miR-1, miR-133
Enzymes	AMPK, p38, ERK, JNK, eNOS, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, CD40, iNOS, PLA2, PI3K/Akt, GPx
Pro-and anti-apoptotic proteins	Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3
Growth factors and others	AT1R, ER, AR, VEGF, LC3-II, TGF-β, PCNA, ET-1, TF

AMPK: 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase; AP-1: Activator protein-1; AQP: Aquaporins; AR: Aldose reductase; AT₁R: Angiotensin II type 1 receptor; Bax: Bcl-2-associated X protein; Bcl-xl: B-cell lymphoma-extra large; Bcl-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; BK-Ca: Large conductance Ca²⁺-sensitive K⁺-channels; CXCR4: C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4; eNOS: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase; ER: Estrogen receptor; ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases; ET-1: Endothelin-1; GPx: Glutathione peroxidase; HIF-1α: Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha; ICAM-1: Intercellular adhesion molecule 1; iNOS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase; JNK: c-Jun N-terminal kinases; KCNE1: Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily E member 1; Kv2.1: Potassium voltage-gated channel Shab-related subfamily member 1; LC3-II: Microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3-II; IL: Interleukin; LOX-1: Lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1; MCP-1: Monocyte chemotactic protein-1; MIF: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor; miR-1: Microrna-1; miR-133: Microrna-133; MMP: Matrix metalloproteinase; NF-κB : Nuclear factor kappa B; Nrf-2: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; PCNA: Proliferating cell nuclear antigen; PI3K: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases; PLA₂: Phospholipase A2; PPAR-γ: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma; SR-A: Scavenger receptor-A; STAT: Signal transducer and activator of transcription; TF: Tissue factor; TGF-β: Transforming growth factor-β; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha; VCAM-1: Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1; VEGF: Vascular endothelial growth factor.