Sesquiterpenes and Asteraceae Studies

Sesquiterpene lactones are a structurally diverse class of plant-derived compounds found abundantly in the Asteraceae family, and researchers are investigating how these molecules interfere with fundamental cancer cell survival mechanisms, including the induction of apoptosis and the suppression of NF-κB, a protein complex that drives inflammation and tumor progression. Compounds such as thapsigargin have drawn particular attention for their selective toxicity toward cancer cells, prompting chemists and pharmacologists to map the precise structural features responsible for these effects and to synthesize analogs with improved potency and reduced side effects. A central open question is how small variations in lactone ring geometry or substituent chemistry translate into dramatically different biological outcomes across cancer types, and whether the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of these compounds act independently or synergistically with their apoptosis-inducing effects. Ongoing work aims to move the most promising candidates from in vitro characterization toward viable therapeutic applications, bridging the gap between natural product chemistry and clinical cancer pharmacology.

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Keywords

Sesquiterpene LactonesCancerApoptosisAnti-inflammatoryNF-?BPharmacology