Table 1.

The mechanism of action of natural herbal compounds with anti-cancer and anti-cancer stem cell effects

Compound name	Kind of compound	Mechanism of action	Reference
Apigenin	Flavonoid	ABC transporter inhibition, TNFα blockage, MMP2,9 down-regulation Apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest STAT3 pathway inhibition, Phospho-JAK1,2 inhibition	41-47
Berberine	Alkaloid	ABC transporter inhibition, apoptosis induction, MMP2,9 down-regulation, Decreased CXCR4, CCR6, CCR9 expression	52-56
Curcumin	Polyphenol	NF-κB, Wnt/β-catenin, Shh inhibition	59-62
Curcumol	Sesquiterpenoid	Cell cycle arrest, NF-κB, Akt/JNK1/2 pathways inhibition	63 (review)
Ellagic acid	Polyphenol	Cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, TGFβ/Smad3 inhibition	69-71
Ursolic acid	Polyphenol	Cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction
Luteolin	Polyphenol	Cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction VEGF secretion inhibition, inhibiting MPA induced acquisition state	69,72
Epigallocatechin	Polyphenol	Cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, HIF1α degradation, AMPK activation, decrease the expression of estrogen receptor-α36, MMP9, mTOR, FASN inhibition	73-78
Genistein	Isoflavone	Increase the expression of PTEN, PI3K/Akt, MEK/ERK, Hedgehog–Gli1 inhibition, cell cycle arrest	81,82.84,85
Gingerol	Phenol	Hedgehog/ Akt/ GSK3β pathway inhibition, MMP2,9 suppression	86,87
Icaritin	Flavonoid	Cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, decrease EGFR and estrogen receptor- α36 expression	94,95
Licochalcone E	Phenol	Reducing Sp1 expression, apoptosis induction, MMP9 inhibition, angiogenesis inhibition	96-98
Noscapine	Alkaloid	Cell cycle arrest and prolonged S-phase, apoptosis induction, disrupting tubulin dynamics	101,102,104,105
Oxymatrine	Alkaloid	Wnt/β-catenin, αⅤβ3 integrin/FAK/ PI3K/Akt inhibition, EMT suppressing Apoptosis induction	110-113
Piperine	polyphenol	Wnt/β-catenin down-regulation, Apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, MMP9,13 inhibition, ROS production, survivin suppression, p65 phosphorylation	61,116-120
Pterostilbene	Phenol	Inducing Argonaute2 expression Hedgehog/Akt/GSK3β suppression	86,121
Resveratrol	Phenol	Cell cycle arrest, Apoptosis induction Wnt inhibition,	125-128
Sulphorafane	Isothiocyanate	Wnt/β-catenin down-regulation Apoptosis induction Cripto/Alk4 suppression	133-135,137,138
Thymoquinone	Phenol	ROS production, cell cycle arrest Apoptosis induction, NF-κB inhibition	142-146