Gypenosides, the cancer buster from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino and the apoptotic pathways: a review

[摘要] Gynostemma pentaphyllum is consumed as herbal tea by the Chinese. It has been extensively studied in the past 20 years and the major secondary metabolites, gypenosides (Gyp) are known to exhibit many medicinal properties such as anti-cancers, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-diabetic. This review summarizes the effect of Gyp towards various cancer cells, and reports the five apoptotic pathways taken by Gyp in inhibiting the cancer cell growth and development, namely (1) blocking of cancer cell initiation, (2) apoptosis via Ca²⁺ overload, (3) causing mitochondrial membrane depolarization via caspase dependent and independent pathways, (4) inhibition of DNA repair genes by downregulation and (5) anti-metastatic effect by downregulating the synthesis of numerous tumor-associated metastatic-related proteins. Both in vitro and in vivo studies of Gyp showed that it could inhibit cancer cell growth and development. These results showed that Gyp has a great potential to be used as herbal remedy and an alternative treatment for cancer.

[学科分类] 药学

[关键词] Apoptosis