Recent advances in the study of elemene on cancer

Elemene, a natural sesquiterpene, has a wide antineoplastic spectrum, including multidrug-resistant tumors. Here, we summarize the literature about elemene’s effects on cancer. Elemene has antiproliferative activity, blocks cell cycle, induces apoptosis, inhibits angiogenesis, reverses drug resistance, enhances radiotherapy and chemotherapy and improves immunity of cancer sufferers. Besides, more active β-elemene derivatives have been designed and synthesized. Some of them have better water solubility or antitumor activity. But those derivatives’ anticancer effects need more experiments to test for both safety and efficacy.   Key words: Elemene, anticancer, Antiproliferative activity.

[1]  Jianing Zhang,et al.  β-elemene inhibits proliferation of human glioblastoma cells through the activation of glia maturation factor β and induces sensitization to cisplatin. , 2011, Oncology reports.

[2]  Da-wei Chen,et al.  Preparation and characterization of β-elemene-loaded microemulsion , 2011, Drug development and industrial pharmacy.

[3]  Longjie Li,et al.  ß-Elemene inhibits proliferation of human glioblastoma cells and causes cell-cycle G0/G1 arrest via mutually compensatory activation of MKK3 and MKK6. , 2011, International journal of oncology.

[4]  Jinhua Dong,et al.  β-Elemene Piperazine Derivatives Induce Apoptosis in Human Leukemia Cells through Downregulation of c-FLIP and Generation of ROS , 2011, PloS one.

[5]  Xie Bing-bing.  Association between the Radiosensitization of β-elemene and Angiogenesis of Nude Mice Model Transplanted Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell , 2011 .

[6]  Ye Zhang,et al.  β-Elemene-induced autophagy protects human gastric cancer cells from undergoing apoptosis , 2011, BMC Cancer.

[7]  Yin Lu,et al.  Beta-elemene inhibits melanoma growth and metastasis via suppressing vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated angiogenesis , 2011, Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology.

[8]  Gangduo Wang,et al.  Evaluation of cisplatin in combination with β-elemene as a regimen for prostate cancer chemotherapy. , 2010, Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology.

[9]  Anming Wang,et al.  Preparation, characterization and relative bioavailability of oral elemene o/w microemulsion , 2010, International journal of nanomedicine.

[10]  Gangduo Wang,et al.  Antineoplastic effect of β‐elemene on prostate cancer cells and other types of solid tumour cells , 2010, The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology.

[11]  Wang Su-yun.  Effect of β-elemene on proliferation of human multiple myeloma cells RPMI-8226 , 2010 .

[12]  W. Ru.  Inhibitory and apoptosis effect of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line SACC-LM induced by curcumin and β-elemene , 2010 .

[13]  Qu Yan-hui.  Effect of β-elemene on Apoptosis and P-P38MAPK of Human Gastric Cancer BAC823 Cells , 2010 .

[14]  Zhang Hongzhi.  Effects of β-elemene combined with radiotherapy on human squamous cell carcinoma of tongue transplanted model in nude mice , 2010 .

[15]  Zheng Shao-jun.  An clinical analysis on short-term efficacy of radiatherapy combined elemene treatment for metastatic bone cancers , 2010 .

[16]  H. Fan,et al.  An investigation of the ability of elemene to pass through the blood‐brain barrier and its effect on brain carcinomas , 2009 .

[17]  Xiaoping Cai,et al.  [beta-elemene enhances aclarubicin-induced apoptotic effect in HL-60 cells and its mechanism.]. , 2009, Zhonghua xue ye xue za zhi = Zhonghua xueyexue zazhi.

[18]  Yanhong Sun,et al.  Synthesis and radiolabelling of Re(CO)3‐β‐elemene derivatives as potential therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals , 2009 .

[19]  Yanhong Sun,et al.  Synthesis and in vitro anti-proliferative activity of beta-elemene monosubstituted derivatives in HeLa cells mediated through arrest of cell cycle at the G1 phase. , 2009, Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry.

[20]  Jianguo Feng,et al.  In vitro study of radiosensitization by β-Elemene in A549 cell line from adenocarcinoma of lung , 2009 .

[21]  Teng Wei-pin.  Elemene inhibits the proliferation of IHH-4 and ASH-3 thyroid cancer cell lines in vitro , 2009 .

[22]  Wu Dapeng.  Effects of β-elemene on radiosensitivity,cell cycle,apoptosis,Bcl-2 and Bax expression of Tca-8113 cells in vitro , 2009 .

[23]  Long Nanzhan.  Elemene Emulsion Combined with Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer , 2009 .

[24]  Jinhua Dong,et al.  N-(beta-Elemene-13-yl)tryptophan methyl ester induces apoptosis in human leukemia cells and synergizes with arsenic trioxide through a hydrogen peroxide dependent pathway. , 2008, Cancer letters.

[25]  Jue Hu,et al.  [Effect of nano-liposome sustained elemene in inducing cell apoptosis of C6 glioma]. , 2008, Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine.

[26]  Yi-chang Jia,et al.  Anti-tumor effect of beta-elemene in glioblastoma cells depends on p38 MAPK activation. , 2008, Cancer letters.

[27]  Zhengfeng Yang,et al.  In vivo and in vitro anti-tumor effects of β-elemene liposome , 2008 .

[28]  Zhang Zhi-feng,et al.  Study on inhibiting Lewis lung tumor angiogenesis by elemene injection and paclitexal , 2008 .

[29]  Li Pei-wen.  Effect of Elemene on Transcription Factor ELK1 and Its Target Gene of Human Cervix Cancer Hela Cell , 2008 .

[30]  L. Hong.  Effect of β-elemene on expression of eIF4E in human salivary gland adenocarcinoma SACC-83 cell , 2008 .

[31]  Zhang Pei-chen.  Effect of elemene on expression of PPARγ mRNA in gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells , 2008 .

[32]  Gong Ping.  The effects of NDV/β-elemene on T cell sub-group balance in patients with digestive fract neoplasm , 2008 .

[33]  L. Juan.  Experimental study on β-elemene combined with tamoxifen inhibiting the apoptosis of breast cancer cell strain MCF-7 , 2008 .

[34]  Han Guo-zhu.  Effects of β-elemene on phosphatide membrane function and Bcl-2 expression of human bladder carcinoma BIU-87 cells , 2007 .

[35]  Wang Yizheng.  Role of ERK in the inhibitory effects of elemene on the proliferation of rat C6 glioblastoma cells , 2007 .

[36]  Yang Aizhen,et al.  Establishment and characteristics of a paclitaxel resistant human lung adenocarcinoma cell subline(SPC-A1/Taxol) , 2006 .

[37]  M. Yao,et al.  Elemene displays anti-cancer ability on laryngeal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo , 2006, Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology.

[38]  J. Zhao,et al.  Antiproliferative effect of β-elemene in chemoresistant ovarian carcinoma cells is mediated through arrest of the cell cycle at the G2-M phase , 2005, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences CMLS.

[39]  J. Zhao,et al.  Antitumor effect of β-elemene in non-small-cell lung cancer cells is mediated via induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death , 2005, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences CMLS.

[40]  X. Ling.  Experimental study on reversion effect of elemene on multidrug resistance of human gastric cancer cell line , 2005 .

[41]  Zheng Shu.  Effect of Elemene on the Telomerase Activity ,Apoptosis and Cell Cycles of the Colon Cancer Lovo Cell Line , 2004 .

[42]  Zhang Fuyi.  Study on the cytotoxicity of human salivary SACC-83 induced by pacli taxel and β-elemene , 2004 .

[43]  F. Yu.  The Effects of β-elemene on Caspase Activity and Expression of Survivin and Apoptosis of Human Gastric Carcinoma SGC-7901 Cell , 2003 .

[44]  L. Yu,et al.  [beta-elemene induces apoptosis of K562 leukemia cells]. , 2001, Zhonghua zhong liu za zhi [Chinese journal of oncology].

[45]  Qian Liping.  Effects of β- elemene on both telomerase activity and expression of bcl-2 gene of gastric cancer SGC- 7901 cell , 2001 .

[46]  S. Deng.  Elemene Induces Apoptosis and Regulates Expression of Bcl-2 Protein in Human Hepatic Cancer 7402 Cells and Cervix Cancer Hela Cells , 2001 .

[47]  Guo Yt.  Isolation and identification of elemene from the essential oil of Curcuma wenyujin , 1983 .