Skip to main content
. 2018 Nov 6;9:1253. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01253

Table 2.

Natural products in reducing chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity.

Name Effect/Mechanism Experimental setting/Model Ingredients/Source References
B. monnieri Prevention of increases in dopamine in the brainstem and increases in 5-HT in the intestine Cisplatin-induced emesis in Suncus murinus Bacoside II, bacoside A3, bacosaponin C, and isomer of bacosaponin C Ullah et al., 2017
Red Ginseng Anti-inflammation Patients Ginsenosides Kim H. S. et al., 2017
6-Gingerol Anti-emetic activity by inhibiting neurokinin-1, serotonin, and dopamine receptors Patients A major component of ginger Konmun et al., 2017
Persumac Unknown Patients R. Coriaria and B. Persicum Nazari et al., 2017
Huang-Qin decoction Regulation of glycine, serine, and threonine pathway as well as bile acid metabolism homeostasis Irinotecan-induced gastrointestinal toxicity and diarrhea in rats Made from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Paeonia lactiflora, Scutelleria baicalensis, and Ziziphus jujuba Main chemical constituents: baicalin, wogonoside, oroxylin-A-glucoside, baicalein, wogonin, orxylin-A, paeoniflorin, glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, liquiritin, isoliquirition, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, and ononin Cui et al., 2017; Wang X. et al., 2017
Wei-Chang-An pill Anti-inflammation and gastrointestinal regulation 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice Made from the extracts of Radix aucklandiae, Moschus, Lignum santali, Lignum aquilariae resinatum, Cinnabaris, Cortex magnoliae officinalis, Fructus aurantii, Radix et rhizoma rhei, Pulvis crotonis tiglium, Rhizoma chuanxiong, and Fructus jujubae Main chemical constituents: costunolide, dehydrodehydrocostus lactone, naringin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, magnolol, honokiol, aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion Chen Y. et al., 2016
Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi decoction Reducion of apoptosis and necrosis in intestinal mucosal epithelia via the suppression of inflammatory cytokine upregulation 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice Made fromRadix Astragalus membranaeus, Radix Panax ginseng, Radix Angelica sinensis, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Cimicifuga foetida Herba Bupleurumchinense, Citrus sinensis Osbeck, and Atractylodes macrocephala Main chemical constituents: astragalosides, acylsucrose derives, dihydroxyflavone-glucopyranoside, liquiritin, liquiritin apioside, neolicuroside, hesperidin, trihydrohyflavone-diglucopyranoside and cimicifugic acid F Gou et al., 2016
Saireito (TJ-114) Inhibition of cytokine-mediated apoptosis in intestinal crypt cells 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice A combined formulation of shosaikoto and goreisan containing saikosaponin, ginsenoside, glycyrrhizin, gingerol, and shogaol Kato et al., 2015
R. glutinosa Inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation Methotrexate-induced gut mucositis in rats Iridoid glycosides, phenethylalcohol glycosides and furfural derivatives Shi et al., 2016
18β-Glycyrrhetinic acid Inhibition of nuclear NF-κB and caspases Cisplatin-induced oxidative intestinal damage in rats A pentacyclic triterpenoid derivative obtained from the herb liquorice Rashid et al., 2017
Rutin Anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation Methotrexate-induced intestinal lesion damage in rats A flavone glycoside extensively found in black tea, apple skin peel and buckwheat Gautam et al., 2016
N. sativa oil Anti-oxidation Cisplatin-induced intestinal damage in rats Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, phytosterols and several other substances including thymoquinone (up to 25% in volatile oil), carvacrol, t-anethole, sesquiterpenelongifolene, and 4 terpinol Shahid et al., 2017b
Thymoquinone Anti-oxidation Cisplatin-induced intestinal injury in rats A major principle active ingredient derived from N. sativa oil Shahid et al., 2017a
Zhu-Ye-Shi-Gao granule Inhibition of the release of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α Patients with lung, esophagus or mediastinal cancer Made from Bamboo leaves, Gypsum fibrosuum, Ginseng, Ophiopogon japonicas, Pinellia ternate, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Oryza Main chemical constituents: sativa Ginsenoside, ruscogenin, succinic acid, and glycyrrhizic acid Wang L. J. et al., 2017
A. vera Anti-inflammation Patients Acetylated mannans, polymannans, anthraquinone C-glycosides, anthrones, emodin, and various lectins Sahebnasagh et al., 2017
Oroxylin Induction of G2/M phase and activation of cell apoptosis TE13 and ECA109 cells A natural flavonoid isolated from S. baicalensis Tan et al., 2017
Proanthocyanidin Repair of damaged DNA-dependent activation of immune sensitivity; amelioration of mitochondrial dysfunction Irradiation-treated HFL1 cells A class of polyphenols Katiyar et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2017
Green tea Anti-oxidation, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammation, and anti-intestinal motility Patients with abdomen and pelvic malignancy Catechins Emami et al., 2014
Silibinin Inhibition of DNA repair signaling and improvement of the response to radiotherapy Irradiation-treated Human prostate carcinoma DU145, PC-3, and 22RV1 cells, mouse keratinocyte JB6 cells, human lung cancer A549 cells, murine non-invasive MB49 and MB49-I cells A major active constituent of silymarin, a complex of flavonolignans extracted from milk thistle Nambiar et al., 2015; Prack Mc Cormick et al., 2018
Geraniin Suppression of DNA damage Irinotecan treated rats A hydrolysable polyphenol from N. lappaceum Bing et al., 2013
C. infortunatum Suppression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and COX-2 gene, upregulation of DNA repair gene ATM Mice exposed to whole-body gamma radiation Flavonoids and saponins Chacko et al., 2017
Fucoidan Upregulation of the abundance of SCFA producer Coprococcus, Rikenella, and Butyricicoccus species within the intestinal mucosa Cyclophosphamide-treated mice Fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides Shi et al., 2017
PHY906 Anti-inflammation and anti-cancer CPT-11 treated tumor-bearing mice Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Paeonia lactiflora, Scutelleria baicalensis, and Ziziphus jujuba Lam et al., 2014
Baicalin Down-regulation of OATP2B1 CPT-11 treated mice A main constituent in PHY906 Fujita et al., 2016
Sheng-Jiang-Xie-Xin decoction Alteration of the activity of CES2 and jejunal UGT1A1 Irinotecan treated rats Made from Pinellia ternata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Coptis chinensis, Ziziphus jujuba, Zingiber officinale, Scutellaria baicalensis, Codonopsis pilosula, and Zingiber recens Main chemical constituents: 6-gingerol, baicalin, baicalein, wogonin, epiberberine, trigonelline, liquiritin, lobetyolin, rutin, oleanolic acid, betulinic acid, ursolic acid, berberine, and palmatine Guan et al., 2017