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.

• Authors: Shuang Zhou, Fengfei Wang, Tze-Chen Hsieh, Joseph M Wu, Erxi Wu
• Journal: Current medicinal chemistry (Curr Med Chem) Vol. 20 Issue 33 Pg. 4102-8 ( 2013) ISSN: 1875-533X [Electronic] United Arab Emirates
• PMID: 23931282 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Review)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Cytokines
• Thalidomide

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cell Adhesion (drug effects)
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Humans
• Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Neovascularization, Physiologic (drug effects)
• Thalidomide (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology, therapeutic use)