Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of Artemisinin in Cancer Treatment

Abstract

The major problems with cancer therapy are drug-induced side effects. There is an urgent need for safe anti-tumor drugs. Artemisinin is a Chinese herbal remedy for malaria with efficacy and safety. However, several studies reported that artemisinin causes neurotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in animal models. Recently, nanostructured drug delivery systems have been designed to improve therapeutic efficacy and reduce toxicity. Artemisinin has been reported to show anticancer properties. The anticancer effects of artemisinin appear to be mediated by inducing cell cycle arrest, promoting ferroptosis and autophagy, inhibiting cell metastasis. Therefore, the review is to concentrate on mechanisms and molecular targets of artemisinin as anti-tumor agents. We believe these will be important topics in realizing the potential of artemisinin and its derivatives as potent anticancer agents.

Keywords:

• Artemisinin
• cancer therapy
• drug repurposing
• ferroptosis and autophagy

Author contributions

ZX designed the project; LD wrote the manuscripts; ZJ reviewed the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The present study was supported by the Chongqing Research Program of Basic Researchand Frontier Technology, China [Grant No. cstc2016jcyjA0296], the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central University (XDJK2019B058) and the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Chongqing [No. Xm2017083].