0000000000965834
AUTHOR
Paul C. H. Li
Artesunate derived from traditional Chinese medicine induces DNA damage and repair.
Abstract Artesunate is a semisynthetic derivative from artemisinin, a natural product from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. It exerts antimalarial activity, and, additionally, artemisinin and its derivatives are active against cancer cells. The active moiety is an endoperoxide bridge. Its cleavage leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species and carbon-centered radicals. These highly reactive molecules target several proteins in Plasmodia, which is thought to result in killing of the microorganism. DNA damage induced by artemisinins has not yet been described. Here, we show that artesunate induces apoptosis and necrosis. It also induces DNA breakage in a dose-dependent manner as sho…
From traditional Chinese medicine to rational cancer therapy
Many natural products and derivatives thereof belong to the standard repertoire of cancer chemotherapy. Examples are Vinca alkaloids, taxanes and camptothecins. In recent years, the potential of natural products from plants, notably from medicinal plants used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been recognized by the scientific community in the Western world. To provide an example of the most recent developments in this field, we have selected several compounds, namely artesunate, homoharringtonine, arsenic trioxide and cantharidin, that are found in natural TCM products and that have the potential for use in cancer therapy. Controlled clinical studies have shown that homoharringtoni…