Anticancer Drug Targets of Salvia Phytometabolites: Chemistry, Biology and Omics

Background: Salvia displays diverse anticancer properties, which are attributable to their diterpene and phenolic contents. There is no comprehensive review on the anticancer diversity and molecular targets of Salvia components. Objective: We investigate the diversity and molecular targets of Salvia phytometabolites responsible for the prevention and treatment of cancer and sarcoma. Results and Conclusion: Traditional therapeutic knowledge suggests that Salvia species can be used to develop anticancer drugs. Lots of concerns have been raised for tanshinone (Tan) IIA and cryptotanshinone. Some Salvia compounds disturb cell cycle and induce apoptosis of tumor cells or enhance immune activities, while others inhibit the proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis, or reverse the multi-drug resistance of cancer cells. Salvia phytometabolites regulate most cancer hallmarks defined by Hanahan and Weinberg. The same class of phytometabolite could exert the anticancer activity via multiple pathways. ADME/T properties and pharmacokinetic bebaviors of some phytometabolites have been revealed. Fluorescent probes are powerful tools for screening substrates, inhibitors or inducers of drug metabolizing enzymes/transporters from Salvia phytometabolites. Omics platform will greatly help mining more potentially useful phytometabolites from Salvia plants. More Salvia plants have application potential in pharmaceutical industry and clinical cancer therapy.