Salvianolic acid B in cancer therapy: pharmacokinetic profile, anticancer mechanisms and translational potential

Salvianolic acid B (SalB) is a bioactive compound derived from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. Over the years, SalB has gained considerable attention for its potential anticancer properties, but there have not been many clinical trials to commercialize it for usage in people. Therefore, this study provides a broad overview of the state of knowledge regarding the anticancer properties of SalB and focused on the route of administration, pharmacokinetic parameters, type of cancer, study model, drug concentrations, involved signaling pathways, safety and toxicity, efficacy, and mechanisms of action. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that SalB exhibits promising anticancer effects against various types of cancers because of its ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce cell cycle arrest, and promote apoptosis in cancer cells. Additionally, SalB can suppress tumor angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis, thus inhibiting cancer progression. These underlying mechanisms are multifaceted. SalB exerts its effects through modulation of various signaling pathways among which include inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, which are involved in cancer cell survival and proliferation. Moreover, SalB has shown synergistic effects with conventional chemotherapeutic agents, enhancing their efficacy while reducing their side effects. This has significant implications for combination therapy approaches in cancer treatment. Therefore, SalB demonstrates promising anticancer properties through its ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, inhibit angiogenesis and metastasis, and modulate various signaling pathways. Further preclinical and clinical studies are warranted to fully elucidate its mechanisms of action and assess its potential as a therapeutic agent for various cancers.