Thalidomide-a notorious sedative to a wonder anticancer drug

Abstract

In the past 50 years, thalidomide has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis from a notorious drug inducing birth defects into a highly effective therapy for treating leprosy and multiple myeloma. Today, most notably, thalidomide and its analogs have shown efficacy against a wide variety of diseases, including inflammation and cancer. The mechanism underlying its teratogenicity as well as its anticancer activities has been intensively studied. This review summarizes the biological effects and therapeutic uses of thalidomide and its analogs, and the underlying mechanisms of thalidomide's action with a focus on its suppression of tumor growth.

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The author(s) confirm that this article content has no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. (1)

Structure of thalidomide and its analogs.

Fig. (2). Therapeutic mechanism of thalidomide

Thalidomide exerts its anticancer effects through the inhibition of angiogenesis, cell adhesion and cytokine circuit, the enhancement of host immune response, the induction of cancer cell apoptosis and oxidative stress, and the suppression on the activity of its binding targets. [, , , , –, –52, 64, 65, 67, 71]