Table 1.
Cited drugs and their antitumor effects in combination with caffeine.
| Drug | Structure | Activity | Caffeine Synergistic Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ifosfamide (16) |
|
DNA crosslinks by alkylation at guanine N-7 positions. | Interference with DNA damage repair processes and apoptosis induction. |
| Doxorubicin (17) |
|
Intercalation and inhibition of DNA biosynthesis. | Inhibition of doxorubicin efflux from cancer cells and induction of apoptosis. |
| Cisplatin (18) |
|
Binding to and interference with DNA transcription and replication. | Increase in CDDP toxicity and chromosome breakage. |
| Valproic acid (19) |
|
Blockage of voltage-gated ion channels and inhibition of histone deacetylase. | Apoptosis induction at lower concentrations with respect to monotherapy. |
| Taxol (20) |
|
Stabilizing and preventing microtubules’ depolymerization, causing cell death and cell-cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. | Inhibition of cell growth and arrest, leading to the death of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. |
| Metformin (21) |
|
Alteration of the energy metabolism of the cell. | Inhibition of cell growth, an expansion of necrosis, and a reduction in tumor neo-vasculature. |
| 5-Fluorouracil (22) |
|
DNA damage via fraudulent incorporation in nucleic acid synthesis. | Inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of ROS-dependent apoptosis. |