{"title":"Molecular mechanisms of natural polysaccharides in female-prevalent cancers.","authors":"Hao Li, Meiqi Jiang, Yaqing Fan, Yian Shen, Yuelong Han, Huijuan Xu, Biao Cai, Maowen Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157340","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cancer remains a critical global health threat, significantly compromising women's health and survival rates worldwide. However, most current chemotherapy drugs are often limited in clinical application due to their substantial side effects. Therefore, there is a pressing demand for the discovery and development of novel drugs. Given their low toxicity and multifaceted bioactivities, natural polysaccharides have emerged as promising anticancer candidates, attracting considerable research attention for their therapeutic potential.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This comprehensive review synthesized the anti-tumor effects and underlying mechanisms of various polysaccharides. This review aims to consolidate fragmented evidence and bridge existing knowledge gaps, while providing a scientific basis for the clinical utility of bioactive polysaccharides in treating common female-specific tumors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic literature search was conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest, as well as publisher databases (Elsevier, ACS, RSC, Springer) up to April 2025 using predefined keywords.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study reviewed 179 articles published between 2010 and 2025, covering 81 polysaccharides obtained from 75 natural products. Among these publications, 48 were based on in vivo studies and 99 on in vitro studies. The molecular weight of the polysaccharides was reported in 25 articles, while monosaccharide composition was analyzed in 36 articles. Systematic analysis revealed that these polysaccharides exert therapeutic effects on common female cancers through multiple mechanisms, including inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and metastasis, inducing apoptosis, arresting cell cycle progression, enhancing immune surveillance, and modulating gut microbiota. Key signaling pathways involved include PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB, TNF-α, and MAPK, among others.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The review highlights the potential of natural polysaccharides as anticancer resources, because they can modulate key cellular signaling pathways, which are critical for advancing targeted therapies against common tumors in women. Elucidating these antitumor mechanisms not only reveals therapeutic potentials but also facilitates innovative treatment strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20212,"journal":{"name":"Phytomedicine","volume":"148 ","pages":"157340"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Phytomedicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157340","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MEDICINAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Cancer remains a critical global health threat, significantly compromising women's health and survival rates worldwide. However, most current chemotherapy drugs are often limited in clinical application due to their substantial side effects. Therefore, there is a pressing demand for the discovery and development of novel drugs. Given their low toxicity and multifaceted bioactivities, natural polysaccharides have emerged as promising anticancer candidates, attracting considerable research attention for their therapeutic potential.
Purpose: This comprehensive review synthesized the anti-tumor effects and underlying mechanisms of various polysaccharides. This review aims to consolidate fragmented evidence and bridge existing knowledge gaps, while providing a scientific basis for the clinical utility of bioactive polysaccharides in treating common female-specific tumors.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest, as well as publisher databases (Elsevier, ACS, RSC, Springer) up to April 2025 using predefined keywords.
Results: This study reviewed 179 articles published between 2010 and 2025, covering 81 polysaccharides obtained from 75 natural products. Among these publications, 48 were based on in vivo studies and 99 on in vitro studies. The molecular weight of the polysaccharides was reported in 25 articles, while monosaccharide composition was analyzed in 36 articles. Systematic analysis revealed that these polysaccharides exert therapeutic effects on common female cancers through multiple mechanisms, including inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and metastasis, inducing apoptosis, arresting cell cycle progression, enhancing immune surveillance, and modulating gut microbiota. Key signaling pathways involved include PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB, TNF-α, and MAPK, among others.
Conclusion: The review highlights the potential of natural polysaccharides as anticancer resources, because they can modulate key cellular signaling pathways, which are critical for advancing targeted therapies against common tumors in women. Elucidating these antitumor mechanisms not only reveals therapeutic potentials but also facilitates innovative treatment strategies.
背景:癌症仍然是一个严重的全球健康威胁,严重影响全世界妇女的健康和生存率。然而,目前大多数化疗药物由于其严重的副作用而限制了临床应用。因此,对新药的发现和开发有着迫切的需求。由于其低毒性和多方面的生物活性,天然多糖已成为有希望的抗癌候选物质,其治疗潜力引起了广泛的研究关注。目的:综述各种多糖的抗肿瘤作用及其机制。本综述旨在整合碎片化的证据,弥合现有的知识空白,同时为生物活性多糖治疗常见女性特异性肿瘤的临床应用提供科学依据。方法:系统检索Web of Science、PubMed、ScienceDirect、ProQuest以及出版社数据库(Elsevier、ACS、RSC、施普林格)截至2025年4月的文献。结果:本研究回顾了2010 ~ 2025年间发表的179篇文献,涵盖了75种天然产物的81种多糖。在这些出版物中,48篇基于体内研究,99篇基于体外研究。25篇报道了多糖的分子量,36篇报道了单糖的组成。系统分析表明,这些多糖通过抑制肿瘤细胞增殖和转移、诱导细胞凋亡、阻滞细胞周期进程、增强免疫监视、调节肠道菌群等多种机制对常见女性肿瘤发挥治疗作用。涉及的关键信号通路包括PI3K/AKT/mTOR、NF-κB、TNF-α和MAPK等。结论:该综述强调了天然多糖作为抗癌资源的潜力,因为它们可以调节关键的细胞信号通路,这对于推进针对女性常见肿瘤的靶向治疗至关重要。阐明这些抗肿瘤机制不仅揭示了治疗潜力,而且有助于创新治疗策略。
期刊介绍:
Phytomedicine is a therapy-oriented journal that publishes innovative studies on the efficacy, safety, quality, and mechanisms of action of specified plant extracts, phytopharmaceuticals, and their isolated constituents. This includes clinical, pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological studies of herbal medicinal products, preparations, and purified compounds with defined and consistent quality, ensuring reproducible pharmacological activity. Founded in 1994, Phytomedicine aims to focus and stimulate research in this field and establish internationally accepted scientific standards for pharmacological studies, proof of clinical efficacy, and safety of phytomedicines.