Prospective pharmacological potential of cryptotanshinone in cancer therapy

: Cryptotanshinone (CPT), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has recently gained remarkable interest as a potent alternative cancer therapeutic. The sole objective of this review is to accumulate the anti-tumor activity of CPT against major cancers as well as the underlying mechanisms. : This comprehensive review focuses on the experimental outcome of in vivo and in vitro investigations targeting multiple signalling pathways of various cancers and molecular mechanisms involved in hindering cancer growth. : CPT targets different cell signalling pathways, transcription factors (STAT1, 3, 4, 5, c-Myc), cellular markers (PD-1, CTLA-4, PDL-1), kinases (Tyrosine kinase such as IGF-1R, Bcr-Abl, Src, JAK, FAK, Serine/Threonine kinase such as Aurora A, Cyclin dependent kinase such as CDK1, 2) which are associated with stemness, growth, division, proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis and drug resistance of a cancer cell. CPT suppresses cancer progression by inhibiting the phosphorylation of intermediate signalling molecules like STAT3, hence disrupting the STAT3 signalling pathway among several other signalling pathways involved in cancer progression. CPT may also induce apoptosis by modulating several pro-apoptotic (Bax, Bak, Bcl-10) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2, Bcl-x, Bcl-xL) proteins. Furthermore, CPT showed potential drug synergism with other chemotherapeutic drugs resulting in strategizing better cancer treatment. : This review summarizes that CPT, being a natural product with less side-effects in long-term cancer use, may be considered a potential alternative to the traditional cancer therapies. Although, there is substantial evidence of success in clinical trials, with appropriate drug delivery approach and the accurate formulation or dosage, its efficacy may be improved.