Cinobufagin as a Potential Intervention Against Liver Cancer-A Comprehensive Review

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a significant global health burden with high recurrence rates.
• Existing therapies for liver cancer have limited efficacy, necessitating novel treatment strategies.
• Cinobufagin (CB), a bufadienolide from toad secretions, exhibits diverse antitumor properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review the evidence on Cinobufagin (CB) and cinobufacini for liver cancer treatment.
• To assess the pharmacodynamic actions and preclinical efficacy of CB in HCC models.
• To identify potential therapeutic applications and challenges for CB in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of preclinical studies (in vitro and in vivo) on Cinobufagin and cinobufacini in liver cancer.
• Analysis of CB's molecular mechanisms, including apoptosis induction, DNA damage, and pathway modulation (PI3K/Akt/mTOR, Akt/ERK, AURKA-mTOR-eIF4E).
• Evaluation of CB's effects on tumor metabolism, oxidative stress, proliferation, and migration.

Main Results:

• CB demonstrates significant antitumor efficacy in preclinical liver cancer models.
• Pharmacodynamic actions include apoptosis induction, DNA damage, and inhibition of proliferation/migration.
• CB modulates critical oncogenic pathways and disrupts tumor metabolism, inducing oxidative stress.

Conclusions:

• Cinobufagin (CB) exhibits considerable therapeutic potential for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
• Preclinical data support CB's efficacy, but toxicity concerns at higher doses require attention.
• Further translational research is essential to optimize CB's clinical application, dosage, and safety profile for HCC treatment.