Skip to main content
Review article

The Anticancer Effect of Natural Plant Alkaloid Isoquinolines

Dahye YunDepartment of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, KoreaSo Young YoonDepartment of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, KoreaSoo-Jung ParkDepartment of Sasang Constitutional Medicine, Woosuk University, Jeollabuk-do 55338, KoreaYoon Jung ParkDepartment of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
2021en
ABI

Abstract

Isoquinoline alkaloids-enriched herbal plants have been used as traditional folk medicine for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and analgesic effects. They induce cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy, leading to cell death. While the molecular mechanisms of these effects are not fully understood, it has been suggested that binding to nucleic acids or proteins, enzyme inhibition, and epigenetic modulation by isoquinoline alkaloids may play a role in the effects. This review discusses recent evidence on the molecular mechanisms by which the isoquinoline alkaloids can be a therapeutic target of cancer treatment.

Identifiers

Citations and references

Cited by 20 references