Table 3.

Summary of main in vitro and in vivo synergistic effects of terpenoids and other compounds in combination with chemotherapeutic compounds against CRC.

References	Tested molecule	In combination with	Experimental model	Main result	Proposed mechanism
Carnesecchi et al., 2004; Vieira et al., 2011	Geraniol	5-FU	Caco-2 cell line	Synergistic: 20% reduction in cell survival	Down-regulation of Bcl-2
Carnesecchi et al., 2004	Geraniol	5-FU	Mice xenograft (TC118)	Synergistic: 80% reduction in tumor size	Unknown
Serova et al., 2006	Irofulven	Oxaliplatin	HT-29 cell line	Synergistic: reduced cell survival	Unknown
Britten et al., 1999	Irofulven	Irinotecan	Mice xenograft (HT-29)	Synergistic: tumor size reduction	Unknown
Liu et al., 2011	Artesunate	Oxaliplatin	HCT116 cell line	Synergistic: 50% cell killing	ROS induction
Liu et al., 2014	Triptolide	Oxaliplatin	SW480 cell line	Synergistic: 62% cell killing	Apoptosis induction, blocking of β-catenin translocation to nucleus
Liu et al., 2014	Triptolide	Oxaliplatin	Mice xenograft (SW480)	Synergistic: 60% tumor growth reduction	Unknown
Koh et al., 2012; Prasad et al., 2012	Ursolic acid	Radiotherapy	CT26 and HCT116 cell lines	Synergistic: 55% cell killing	Apoptosis induction, caspase 3 activation, ROS increase, GSH, NF-kB and Bcl-2 reductions
Wang et al., 2015	Ginsenolides	5-FU	Mice xenograft (HCT116)	Synergistic: reduced tumor size	G1 arrest
Kim et al., 2009	Ginsenolides	Docetaxel	HCT116 cell line	Synergistic: increased cell death	NF-kB inhibiton, Bcl-2 repression
Zhu et al., 2010	Calastrol	TRAIL	SW620 cell line	Synergistic: increased cell killing	Apoptosis induction
Jung et al., 2007	Betulinic acid	5-FU, oxaliplatin, irinotecan	SNU-C5 cell line	Synergistic: increased cell killing, reduction in chemoresistance	Apoptosis induction (caspase 3)
Li et al., 2007	Curcumin	Oxaliplatin	Lo-Vo cell line	Synergistic: growth inhibition	Unknown
Anitha et al., 2014	Curcumin	5-FU	HT-29	Synergistic: increased cells killing	Apoptosis induction
Murakami et al., 2013	Curcumin	Turmerones	CRC mouse model (dimethyl-hydrazine)	Synergistic: tumor size reduction	Apoptosis induction
Yue et al., 2016b	Curcumin	Bevacizumab	Mice xenograft (HT-29)	Synergistic: tumor size reduction	Apoptosis induction
Zhang et al., 2003; Lan et al., 2015	Gossypol	5-FU	Mice xenograft (HT-29)	Synergistic: tumor size reduction	Apoptosis induction, chemical sensitization