College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, China.
Department of Andrology, the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 41007, China.
Chin J Integr Med. 2024 Aug;30(8):759-767. doi: 10.1007/s11655-024-4105-x. Epub 2024 May 31.
The discovery of novel antitumor agents derived from natural plants is a principal objective of anticancer drug research. Frankincense, a widely recognized natural antitumor medicine, has undergone a systematic review encompassing its species, chemical constituents, and diverse pharmacological activities and mechanisms. The different species of frankincense include Boswellia serrata, Somali frankincense, Boswellia frereana, and Boswellia arabica. Various frankincense extracts and compounds exhibit antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties and antioxidation, memory enhancement, and immunological regulation capabilities. They also have comprehensive effects on regulating flora. Frankincense and its principal chemical constituents have demonstrated promising chemoprophylactic and therapeutic abilities against tumors. This review provides a systematic summary of the mechanism of action underlying the antitumor effects of frankincense and its major constituents, thus laying the foundations for developing effective tumor-combating targets.
从天然植物中发现新型抗肿瘤药物是抗癌药物研究的主要目标。乳香作为一种被广泛认可的天然抗肿瘤药物，其种类、化学成分以及多种药理学活性和作用机制已经过系统评价。乳香的不同种类包括乳香树、索马里乳香、乳香黄连木和乳香阿拉伯树胶。各种乳香提取物和化合物具有抗肿瘤、抗炎、保肝作用以及抗氧化、增强记忆和免疫调节能力，还能全面调节菌群。乳香及其主要化学成分对肿瘤具有良好的化学预防和治疗作用。本文对乳香及其主要成分抗肿瘤作用的作用机制进行了系统总结，为开发有效的抗肿瘤靶点奠定了基础。
