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Progress on the functions and mechanisms of natural products in anti-glioma therapy

Yanting Li1, Shuhui Qu1, Jiayi Zuo1

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.

Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines
|May 18, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Natural products (NPs) show promise for treating lethal brain tumors like glioma. Combining NPs with targeted drug delivery systems (TDDSs) enhances efficacy and reduces side effects, offering new therapeutic avenues.

Area of Science:

  • Neuro-oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

  • Glioma is the most common and lethal primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor.
  • Limited effective chemotherapeutics exist for glioma treatment, driving the need for novel agents.
  • Natural products (NPs) are a rich source for identifying and developing anti-glioma compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the anti-glioma activities of natural products and their synthetic derivatives.
  • To summarize the mechanisms of action for these anti-glioma natural products.
  • To examine the role of targeted drug delivery systems (TDDSs) in enhancing NP-based glioma therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of research on natural products and glioma over the past decade.
  • Analysis of anti-glioma mechanisms including protein suppression, ROS regulation, apoptosis, MMPs, VEGF, and immunosuppression.
  • Evaluation of natural product-based targeted drug delivery systems (TDDSs) for overcoming the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Main Results:

  • Various classes of natural products (alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, quinones) and their derivatives exhibit anti-glioma activity.
  • Identified mechanisms include modulation of key signaling pathways and cellular processes crucial for tumor growth and survival.
  • Natural product-based TDDSs demonstrate potential to improve drug solubility, stability, BBB penetration, and CNS drug concentration.

Conclusions:

  • Natural products offer a promising strategy for developing new anti-glioma therapeutics.
  • Understanding NP anti-glioma mechanisms is crucial for drug development.
  • Integrating NPs with TDDSs can significantly enhance therapeutic outcomes for glioma patients.
Keywords:
Anti-gliomaMechanismsNatural productsSynthetic derivativesTargeted drug delivery systems

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