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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Quantitative Immunohistochemistry of the Cellular Microenvironment in Patient Glioblastoma Resections
05:45

Quantitative Immunohistochemistry of the Cellular Microenvironment in Patient Glioblastoma Resections

Published on: July 31, 2017

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Natural products: a hope for glioblastoma patients

Raghupathy Vengoji1, Muzafar A Macha1,2, Surinder K Batra1,3

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.

Oncotarget
|May 19, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Natural compounds show promise in treating glioblastoma (GBM). These agents can overcome drug resistance, enhance chemotherapy effectiveness, and target cancer stem cells, offering new hope for this aggressive brain tumor.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Neuro-oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor with poor patient survival, often averaging only one year.
  • Current treatments like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, including temozolomide (TMZ), offer limited survival benefits.
  • Drug delivery to the brain is hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and glioblastoma stem cells (CSCs) exhibit intrinsic resistance to therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential of natural products and their analogs in overcoming GBM treatment challenges.
  • To explore how natural compounds can enhance BBB penetration, induce cancer cell death, and eradicate CSCs.
  • To summarize evidence on natural agents sensitizing GBM to chemoradiation therapy (CRT).

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on natural products and GBM.
  • Analysis of research investigating natural compounds' effects on BBB permeability.
  • Evaluation of studies on natural products' impact on CSCs and GBM cell death.
  • Assessment of natural compounds' synergistic effects with TMZ and CRT.

Main Results:

  • Natural compounds demonstrate antitumor and apoptotic effects in GBM cell lines, including TMZ-resistant and p53 mutant variants.
  • Some natural products show potential in modulating BBB permeability for improved drug delivery.
  • Evidence suggests natural agents can target CSCs and sensitize GBM to standard therapies like CRT.

Conclusions:

  • Natural products and their analogs represent a promising avenue for novel GBM therapies.
  • These compounds may overcome chemoresistance, target CSCs, and improve drug delivery across the BBB.
  • Further research into natural products could lead to less toxic and more effective treatments for glioblastoma.
Keywords:
blood brain barrier and chemotherapeutic drugsglioblastomatemozolomide

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