Novel Strategy in Breast Cancer Therapy: Revealing The Bright Side of Ginsenosides

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Oncology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Breast cancer is a leading global cause of death with challenging treatment due to uncontrolled proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance.
• Nature offers plant-derived compounds with anti-tumor potential, including ginsenosides, found in Panax species.
• Ginsenosides have a history of use in various conditions and are recognized for their anti-cancer properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the anti-tumor activity of ginsenosides against breast cancer cells.
• To highlight the mechanisms by which ginsenosides suppress breast cancer growth and metastasis.
• To explore the role of ginsenosides in enhancing chemotherapy efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on ginsenosides and breast cancer.
• Analysis of ginsenosides' effects on cancer cell apoptosis and cell cycle.
• Investigation of ginsenosides' impact on metastasis-related processes like epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis.
• Examination of ginsenosides' influence on key molecular pathways involved in cancer progression.

Main Results:

• Ginsenosides induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells.
• They inhibit metastasis by suppressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, matrix metalloproteinases, and angiogenesis.
• Ginsenosides enhance chemotherapy efficacy by reducing cancer cell migration and proliferation.
• These compounds modulate critical molecular pathways including PI3K/Akt, IGF-1, Wnt, microRNAs, and lncRNAs.

Conclusions:

• Ginsenosides exhibit versatile anti-cancer properties against breast cancer.
• They effectively suppress tumor growth, invasion, and enhance sensitivity to chemotherapy.
• Ginsenosides represent a promising therapeutic strategy for breast cancer treatment.