Author(s) :

Anthony J Zhong and Guantong Li.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF), a traditional Chinese herb, has been used to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases for centuries. In the past decades, anti-tumor effects of two key ingredients of TwHF, triptolide and celastrol, have been reported in numerous research studies and review articles. However, the importance of triptonide (another important ingredient of TwHF) in cancer therapy has not been recognized until recent years. In the article, we review recent advances of triptonide as an antitumor agent with a focus on its biological activities, action mechanisms and clinical development.