Artesunate Archives - Well Referenced

Therapeutic Effects of Artesunate in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Repurposing an Ancient Antimalarial Agent

This preclinical study investigated the anticancer properties of artesunate, a semisynthetic artemisinin derivative, in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Artesunate significantly inhibited cell viability and induced caspase-3-mediated apoptosis in HCC cell lines (HepG2, BWTG3), with more pronounced effects under hypoxic conditions. It also suppressed angiogenic markers VEGF and placental growth factor, leading

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Repurposing the Anti-Malarial Drug Artesunate as a Novel Therapeutic Agent for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Due to Its Attenuation of Tumor Growth, Metastasis, and Angiogenesis

This 2015 study explores the potential of artesunate (ART), an anti-malarial drug, as a treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Analysis of patient data revealed that high expression of transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), a marker associated with ART sensitivity, correlated with distant metastasis and poor prognosis in clear cell

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Lymphoma and myeloma cells are highly sensitive to growth arrest and apoptosis induced by artesunate

This 2013 study evaluated the antitumor effects of artesunate, an antimalarial drug, on multiple myeloma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell lines. Artesunate treatment effectively inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in these cell lines. The apoptotic response was associated with downregulation of MYC and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins,

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Old wine in new bottles: Drug repurposing in oncology

This 2019 review explores drug repurposing as a cost-effective and time-saving strategy in oncology, highlighting its potential to expedite the development of cancer treatments. The authors discuss several non-oncologic drugs—such as artesunate, aspirin, cimetidine, doxycycline, ivermectin, metformin, rapamycin, and thalidomide—that exhibit anticancer properties through mechanisms like apoptosis induction, angiogenesis inhibition,

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Contribution of reactive oxygen species to ovarian cancer cell growth arrest and killing by the anti-malarial drug artesunate

This preclinical study explores the anti-cancer effects of artesunate (ART), a derivative of artemisinin traditionally used for malaria, in ovarian cancer models. ART was shown to suppress growth of multiple ovarian cancer cell lines and patient-derived primary cells, and to inhibit tumor progression in xenograft mouse models. The treatment significantly

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Erratum to: Investigation of ototoxicity of artesunate as add-on therapy in patients with metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer: new audiological results from a prospective, open, uncontrolled, monocentric phase I study

This 2017 erratum pertains to a correction of the original 2016 publication that investigated the ototoxic potential of artesunate when administered as an add-on therapy in patients with metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer. The original study, a phase I trial, was prospective, open-label, and single-center in design, aiming to

June 26, 2025 No Comments

A Randomised, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study of Oral Artesunate Therapy for Colorectal Cancer

This pilot study investigates the efficacy and safety of oral artesunate, an antimalarial drug, as a treatment for colorectal cancer. The results indicate that artesunate may have potential therapeutic effects on colorectal cancer cells, with some improvements in tumor progression and patient survival. However, the study concludes that larger trials

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Antileukemic activity and cellular effects of the antimalarial agent artesunate in acute myeloid leukemia

This study investigates the antileukemic activity of artesunate, an antimalarial drug, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The results show that artesunate effectively inhibits AML cell proliferation and induces apoptosis through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings suggest that artesunate may serve as a promising therapeutic agent

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Artesunate exerts specific cytotoxicity in retinoblastoma cells via CD71

This study explores the cytotoxic effects of artesunate on retinoblastoma cells, revealing that artesunate selectively induces cell death through interaction with CD71, the transferrin receptor. The findings show that artesunate specifically targets retinoblastoma cells by exploiting the high expression of CD71, offering a novel mechanism for treating this aggressive pediatric

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Artesunate induces apoptosis of bladder cancer cells by miR-16 regulation of COX-2 expression

This study investigates the effect of artesunate on bladder cancer cells, showing that it induces apoptosis through the regulation of miR-16, which in turn downregulates the expression of COX-2, an enzyme associated with cancer cell survival and inflammation. The findings suggest that artesunate could be a promising therapeutic agent for

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Tag: Artesunate