Mechanism of Ginsenoside Rh2 Against Liver Cancer / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Ginsenoside Rh2 is a tetracyclic triterpenoid saponin monomer containing a dammarane-type skeleton, with advantages of low toxicity, low molecular weight, good fat solubility and strong anticancer effect, and is the main anticancer effective in ginseng. In recent years, there have been emerging findings on ginsenoside Rh2, indicating an obvious anticancer activity against a variety of cancers with a high morbidity and mortality. Particularly, ginsenoside Rh2 has a significant anti-hepatocarcinoma effect, so the studies on the mechanism of action have gradually been given attention. In this paper, we have reviewed more than 100 domestic and foreign relevant literatures in Chinese and English databases in the past 20 years, such as CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP Data, Pub Med, and conducted detailed collection, analysis and summary for the contents of the anti-hepatocarcinoma mechanism of ginsenoside Rh2. According to the findings, although there are many reports on the anti-hepatocarcinoma effect of ginsenoside Rh2, the mechanism of action of ginsenoside Rh2 against liver cancer has not been systematically elaborated. Therefore, this paper comprehensively discusses the anti-hepatocarcinoma effect of ginsenoside Rh2, clarifies that the mechanism of action of ginsenoside Rh2 against liver cancer may be related with the inhibition of the proliferation of hepatoma cells, the induction of differentiation of hepatoma cells, the promotion of apoptosis of hepatoma cells, the inhibition of invasion and metastasis of hepatoma cells, the reduction of drug resistance of liver cancer cells, and the improvement of immunity. For the first time, the mechanism of action of ginsenoside Rh2 against liver cancer was comprehensively summarized, which provided reference for researches on ginsenoside Rh2 against liver cancer, evidence and ideas for further researches on ginsenoside Rh2, new research directions for the treatment of liver cancer and new hope to patients with liver cancer.