Insights Into Anticancer Mechanisms of Schisandrin B: Isolation, Pharmacokinetics, and Preclinical Evidence

Traditional medicinal systems in Asian countries revealed the utilization of plant-based compounds is as old as human civilization. Schisandrin B (SCB), an isolated lignan from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis, is extensively used against different diseases. The current review discusses collecting and representing up-to-date literature concerning the antitumor activity of SCB on molecular and cellular signaling pathways. Different facets of the anticancer activity of SCB, including cancer type, experimental designs, and proposed underlying mechanistic approach, have been analyzed and presented in this review. Antitumor mechanism of SCB is largely due to stimulation of apoptosis, inhibition of progression of the cell cycle, regulation of cell invasion and proliferation, management of oxidative stress via modulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin, and STA3/JAK2 signaling pathways. Combining SCB with antitumor drugs has been reported to enhance the efficiency of conventional chemotherapeutics largely by accumulation of medication at the tumor site and demonstrated as a supportive adjunct therapy in the management of cancer. Oral administration of SCB shows limited bioavailability and extensive distribution in the ovary and adipose tissue. SCB exhibited a potent anticancer effect due to the multi-targeted mechanism of activity that encourages it as a prospective potential tool to raise an efficient and new therapeutic approach against cancer.