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Review
. 2025 Mar 13;26(6):2593.
doi: 10.3390/ijms26062593.

Anti-Colorectal Cancer Activity of Panax and Its Active Components, Ginsenosides: A Review

Han Su Kang  1 , Hyun Kyung Lim  1 , Won Young Jang  1 , Jae Youl Cho  1
Affiliations
Review

Anti-Colorectal Cancer Activity of Panax and Its Active Components, Ginsenosides: A Review

Han Su Kang et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant health burden worldwide and necessitates novel treatment approaches with fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy. Many natural compounds have been tested as possible cancer treatments. Plants in the genus Panax have been widely studied due to their therapeutic potential for various diseases such as inflammatory disorders and cancers. Extracts from plants of genus Panax activate upstream signals, including those related to autophagy and the generation of reactive oxygen species, to induce intrinsic apoptosis in CRC cells. The root extract of Panax notoginseng (P. notoginseng) regulated the gut microbiota to enhance the T-cell-induced immune response against CRC. Protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenosides, especially Rh2, Rg3, Rb1, and Rb2, significantly reduced proliferation of CRC cells and tumor size in a xenograft mouse model, as well as targeting programmed death (PD)-1 to block the immune checkpoint of CRC cells. Moreover, modified nanocarriers with ginsenosides upregulated drug efficacy, showing that ginsenosides can also be utilized as drug carriers. An increasing body of studies has demonstrated the potential of the genus Panax in curing CRC. Ginsenosides are promising active compounds in the genus Panax, which can also support the activity of conventional cancer therapies.

Keywords: anti-cancer; colorectal cancer; drug delivery; genus Panax; ginsenosides.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structures of PPD- and PPT-type ginsenosides.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The anti-apoptotic activity of the genus Panax plants targeting cancer cells.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Summary illustration of ginseng and ginsenosides for CRC therapeutics. ↑ increased, ↓ decreased.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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