How does Artesunate (ART) inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells in digestive system cancers?

Uncontrolled cell proliferation is a hallmark of cancer. ART has been shown to inhibit the growth of various cancer cell types, including those in the digestive system.

ART inhibits cancer cell proliferation by modulating cell cycle progression, often through the downregulation of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). It also suppresses the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which is crucial for cell survival and proliferation. Furthermore, ART can induce cell cycle arrest at the G1 or G2 phase by upregulating cell cycle inhibitors such as p16 and p21.