Artemisiae Annuae Herba: from anti-malarial legacy to emerging anti-cancer potential

作者：Jing Sun, Junzi Xufeng, Zejing Qiu, Quan Gao, Zhiyu Zhu, Jun He, Shegan Gao, Xinbing Sui · 发表于：Theranostics · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.7150/thno.115414 · 被引用次数：9 · 研究领域：Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity、Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Protection、Herbal Medicine Research Studies

Modern medical approaches to cancer treatment face significant obstacles, including limited therapeutic options, narrow drug applicability, and rapid development of drug resistance. Consequently, re-evaluating traditional medicinal plants and natural compounds has emerged as a promising strategy to address this public health issue, particularly amid challenges in developing novel pharmaceuticals. Artemisiae Annuae Herba, a versatile natural drug renowned for its established efficacy against malaria and for other diverse pharmacological activities, is gaining recognition for its anti-cancer potential due to the unique structures and biological effects of its constituents. This review comprehensively outlines the major components of Artemisiae Annuae Herba and their reported anti-cancer activities, beginning with an examination of the molecular structures of the foundational components and an exploration of derivatives of these compounds. Furthermore, through an analysis of observed pharmacological effects, we systematically elucidate the multifaceted influence of Artemisiae Annuae Herba on cancerous tissues, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, non-apoptotic cell death induction, angiogenesis inhibition, tumor microenvironment remodeling, and immune modulation. Finally, we discuss the feasibility of Artemisiae Annuae Herba in cancer therapy as well as the challenges and unresolved issues that require further investigation. We also consider ways that new drug formu...