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Pharmacological properties of ginsenosides in inflammation-derived cancers

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Abstract

Ginseng is commonly used as an herbal medicine for improvement of life quality. It is also used as a supplemental medication with anti-cancer drugs to enhance chemotherapy efficacy and shows some beneficial effects. Ginsenosides, also known as saponins, are the major active pharmacological compounds found in ginseng and have been extensively using in treatment of not only cancers but also the other inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, acute lung injury, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. The anti-cancer activities of ginsengs and ginsenosides in different types of cancers have been well studied experimentally and clinically. The major anti-cancer mechanisms of ginseng compounds include inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis as well as induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Herein, we review and summarize the current knowledge on the pharmacological effects of ginsengs and ginseng-derived compounds in the treatment of cancers. Moreover, the molecular and cellular mechanism(s) by which ginsengs and ginsenosides modulate the immune response in cancer diseases as well as ginsengs–drugs interaction are also discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Chelsea Anita Kelland (Department of Internal Medicine, University of California at Davis, USA) and Minh Tan Nguyen (School of Dentistry, University of California at Los Angeles, USA) for their critical reading and useful discussions.

Funding

This work was supported by Nguyen Tat Thanh University (CTN-2020), Duy Tan University (DLH-2020), and Ho Chi Minh City Open University (NHN-2020).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000, Vietnam

    Do Luong Huynh

  2. Faculty of Biotechnology, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, 97 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Nguyen Hoai Nguyen

  3. NTT Hi-Tech Institute, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Cuong Thach Nguyen

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  1. Do Luong Huynh
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  2. Nguyen Hoai Nguyen
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Cuong T Nguyen and Do L Huynh searched the literatures and wrote the manuscript. Nguyen H Nguyen participated in discussion and revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Cuong Thach Nguyen.

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Luong Huynh, D., Nguyen, N.H. & Nguyen, C.T. Pharmacological properties of ginsenosides in inflammation-derived cancers. Mol Cell Biochem 476, 3329–3340 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-021-04162-w

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