Delving into the Latest Updates on β-elemene with Synapse

Overview

Basic Info

Drug Type

Chemical drugs

Synonyms-

Target-

Action-

Mechanism-

Therapeutic Areas

NeoplasmsDigestive System Disorders

Active Indication

Stomach Cancer

Inactive Indication-

Originator Organization

The First Hospital Of China Medical University

Active Organization

The First Hospital Of China Medical University

Inactive Organization-

License Organization-

Drug Highest PhasePreclinical

First Approval Date-

Regulation-

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibitors （EGFR-TKIs）, including gefitinib，erlotinib and icotinib demonstrate excellent effect on the treatment of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations. However, patients who are initially sensitive to the drugs eventually become resistance. In this study, the investigators aim to explore the efficacy of beta-elemene, combining with EGFR-TKI in advanced non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR-TKI resistance.

Start Date01 Apr 2017

Sponsor / Collaborator

China Medical University

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100 Clinical Results associated with β-elemene

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100 Translational Medicine associated with β-elemene

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100 Patents (Medical) associated with β-elemene

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402

Literatures (Medical) associated with β-elemene

01 Jul 2025·Chemico-Biological Interactions

A novel benzofuran derivative of β-elemene (ZT-22) inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth via directly targeting HSPA6

Article

Author: Yang, Bin ; Zhang, Tao ; Huang, Luqi ; Zheng, Jingqi ; Liu, Guodu ; Yang, Jian ; Luo, Zhiqiang ; Guo, Ruofan ; Fan, Huixia ; Wang, Jing ; Zhou, Junhui

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer globally and is associated with a poor prognosis. Current therapies for HCC have limited efficacy and require improvement. In our study, the benzofuran derivative of β-elemene (ZT-22) demonstrated enhanced anti-HCC efficacy compared to β-elemene, both in vitro and in vivo. Using network pharmacology, RNA sequencing, and western blot analysis, the crucial role of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway in the anti-HCC activity of ZT-22 cells was highlighted. Using drug affinity-responsive target stability (DARTS) combined with mass spectrometry (MS), HSPA6 was identified as the target for ZT-22. Techniques such as the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, microscale thermophoresis (MST), molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used for further validation, confirming that ZT-22 directly binds to HSPA6. Knocking down HSPA6 diminished p38 MAPK signaling and reversed the anti-HCC effects of ZT-22. These findings suggest that ZT-22 exerts its anti-HCC activity by targeting HSPA6, which in turn activated the p38-MAPK signaling pathway. Our results support the development of ZT-22 as a potential therapeutic agent for HCC and highlight HSPA6 as a promising therapeutic target for HCC treatment.

01 Jun 2025·European Journal of Pharmacology

β-elemene: A promising natural compound in lung cancer therapy

Review

Author: Zhang, Dan ; Li, Zhiliang ; Bao, Jiahui

Lung cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, presents complex challenges in treatment and disease management. This review explores β-elemene, a sesquiterpene from Curcuma wenyujin, emphasising its pharmacological effects and therapeutic mechanisms in lung cancer. Focusing on its roles in modulating cellular pathways, this study details β-elemene's influence on apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, hypoxic responses, metabolic shifts, and cell cycle arrest, as well as its impact on the tumour microenvironment and regulatory pathways (including PI3K/AKT, STAT3, AMPK/MAPK) and non-coding RNAs. The potential of β-elemene as a complementary agent in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hyperthermia therapy is examined, underscoring its capability to bolster treatment efficacy and counter drug resistance. The review also addresses current obstacles in clinical use, notably bioavailability issues, and explores innovative delivery systems like liposomes and microemulsions designed to enhance therapeutic delivery. Although preclinical studies indicate significant anti-tumor effects, further research is needed to address clinical translation challenges. Collectively, this review highlights β-elemene's multi-targeted therapeutic potential in lung cancer, advocating for ongoing research to refine its clinical use and optimize patient outcomes.

01 Jun 2025·Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology

Exploration and mutagenesis of the germacrene A synthase from Solidago canadensis to enhance germacrene A production in E. coli

Article

Author: Lv, Ruo ; Yu, Zongxia ; Feng, Baomin ; Jiang, Ge ; Wang, Xiaoyu ; Chu, Xiaohui ; Huo, Jinyan ; Li, Jianxu ; Hong, Bo

β-elemene is an effective anti-cancer component which has been widely used in clinic. However, it still relies on the extraction from the Chinese medicine plant Curcuma wenyujin, which seriously limits its application. Synthetic biology offers a promising approach to satisfy its supply. β-elemene is derived from germacrene A (GA), which is synthesized by germacrene A synthase (GAS), through Cope rearrangement under heat condition instead of enzymatic reaction. In this study, an effective germacrene A synthase (ScGAS) was identified from Solidago canadensis which could produce GA when expressed in E. coli. By introducing the heterogeneous MVA pathway to enrich the FPP pool, the strain yielded 147 mg/L of GA in shake flasks which represented 2.98-fold improvement over the initial one. Moreover, combining molecular docking with phylogeny analysis of ScGAS largely narrowed down the category of its key residues' mutagenesis. The Y376L mutant showed the highest yield of 487 mg/L which was almost 10-fold higher than the initial yield. These results indicate that diverting the metabolism of the host and enzyme mutagenesis based on the combination of molecular docking and phylogeny analysis are of great value to constructing terpenoids chassis.

100 Deals associated with β-elemene

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