Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2025
In Vitro Cellular Activity Evaluation of the Nanoemulsion Vaccine Adjuvant Ophiopogonin D
Published on: December 9, 2022
Ophiopogon japonicus and its active compounds: A review of potential anticancer effects and underlying mechanisms
Qiao Liu1, Jin-Jian Lu2, Hui-Jie Hong1
1Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China.
Background:
Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl., a well-known Chinese herb, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that O. japonicus and its active compounds exhibit potential anticancer effects in a variety of cancer cells in vitro and suppress tumor growth and metastasis without causing serious toxicity in vivo.
Purpose:
This review aims to systemically summarize and discuss the anticancer effects and the underlying mechanisms of O. japonicus extracts and its active compounds.
Methods:
The review is prepared following the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Various scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched using the keywords: Ophiopogon japonicus, tumor, cancer, carcinoma, content, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity.
Results:
O. japonicus extracts and the active compounds, such as ruscogenin-1-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl(1→2)][β-d-xylopyranosyl(1→3)]-β-d-fucopyranoside (DT-13), ophiopogonin B, and ophiopogonin D, exert potential anticancer effects, including the induction of cell cycle arrest, activation of apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibition of metastasis and angiogenesis. In addition, the mechanisms underlying these effects, as well as the pharmacokinetics, toxicity and clinical utility of O. japonicus extracts and active compounds are discussed. Furthermore, this review highlights the research and application prospects of these compounds in immunotherapy and combination chemotherapy.
Conclusions:
The traditional herb O. japonicus and its phytochemicals could be safe and reliable anticancer drug candidates, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs. We hope that this review, which highlights the anticancer properties of O. japonicus, will contribute to drug optimization, therapeutic development, and future studies on cancer therapies based on this medicinal plant.
More Related Videos
09:03Establishment of Hepatocarcinoma in BALB/c-nu Mice and Investigation of the Therapeutic Effect of the Sanleng Jiashen Formula
Published on: January 26, 2024
10:21Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Inflammation in the Co-occurrence of Primary Sjogren's Syndrome and Lung Adenocarcinoma
Published on: September 20, 2024
Related Concept Videos
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
02:59Cancer Prevention
Some...
03:03mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
01:12Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
01:25Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity