Abstract
With cancer being a leading cause of death globally, there is an urgent need to improve therapeutic strategies and identify effective chemotherapeutics. This study aims to highlight the potential of crocetin, a natural product derived from certain plants, as an anticancer agent. It was conducted an extensive review of the existing literature to gather and analyze the most recent data on the chemical properties of crocetin and its observed effects in various in vitro and in vivo studies. The study particularly focused on studies that examined crocetin’s impact on cell cycle dynamics, apoptosis, caspases and antioxidant enzyme levels, tumor angiogenesis, inflammation, and overall tumor growth. Crocetin exhibited diverse anti-tumorigenic activities including inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis induction, angiogenesis suppression, and potentiation of chemotherapy. Multiple cellular and molecular pathways such as the PI3K/Akt, MAPK and NF-κB were modulated by it. Crocetin demonstrates promising anti-cancer properties and offers potential as an adjunctive or alternative therapy in oncology. More large-scale, rigorously designed clinical trials are needed to establish therapeutic protocols and ascertain the comprehensive benefits and safety profile of crocetin in diverse cancer types.
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Abbreviations
- ALDH:
-
aldehyde dehydrogenase
- ATG1:
-
AuTophaGy-related 1
- ATPase:
-
Adenosine 5′-TriPhosphatase
- Bax:
-
Bcl-2-associated X protein
- Bcl2:
-
B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2
- CAT:
-
catalase
- CCD:
-
carotenoid-cleaving dioxygenase
- CDC:
-
cell division cycle
- COX-2:
-
Cyclooxygenase-2
- CXCR4:
-
C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4
- Cyt. C:
-
Cytochrome c
- EGFR:
-
epidermal growth factor receptor
- ERK1/2:
-
extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase
- GABA:
-
gamma-aminobutyric acid
- GPx:
-
glutathione peroxidase
- GST:
-
Glutathione S-transferase
- HDAC:
-
histone deacetylase
- HMGB1:
-
High mobility group box 1
- I/R:
-
ischemia-reperfusion
- IL:
-
interleukine
- LDH:
-
lactate dehydrogenase
- LDL:
-
low density lipoproteins
- MIA-PaCa-2 cells:
-
human pancreatic cancer cell line
- MMP:
-
matrix metalloproteinase
- MRP:
-
multidrug resistance-associated protein
- MT-MMP:
-
membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase
- NA:
-
Norepinephrinum
- NF-кB:
-
nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells
- NO:
-
nitric oxide
- OCT3/4:
-
octamer binding transcription factor 3/4
- PCNA:
-
proliferating cell nuclear antigen
- PG-2:
-
Prostaglandin-2
- PI3K:
-
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase
- PML:
-
Promyelocytic leukemia protein
- PML/RARα:
-
promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor-α
- PTH2:
-
Patched 2
- RARα:
-
retinoic acid receptor α
- RNA:
-
ribonucleic acid
- Rohament CL:
-
liquid formulated fungal cellulase enzyme for hydrolysing non-starch polysaccharides
- ROhmenzym:
-
Cellulytic Enzyme Mixture EL1-77, batchEL2012083, AB-Enzymes, Darmstadt, Germany
- ROS:
-
radical oxygen species
- SCFE:
-
supercritical fluid extraction
- SHH:
-
sonic hedgehog protein
- SOD:
-
superoxide dismutase
- TDP1:
-
tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1
- TNF:
-
tumor necrosis factor
- TUNEL:
-
terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling
- VEGF:
-
vascular endothelial growth factor
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Koch, W., Wawruszak, A., Kukula-Koch, W. et al. Exploring the therapeutic efficacy of crocetin in oncology: an evidence-based review. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 397, 1455–1476 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-023-02714-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-023-02714-z