Journal of International Reproductive Health/Family Planning ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 434-440.doi: 10.12280/gjszjk.20250247

• Review • Previous Articles    

The Mechanism of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Ovarian Cancer by PI3K/Akt Signaling

ZHANG Li-qian, LU Run-guo, WANG Yu, SHI Bai-chao, WU Xiao-ke()   

  1. Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China (ZHANG Li-qian, SHI Bai-chao); Zhaoqing CP.CS Rehabilitation Hospital, Zhaoqing 526070, Guangdong Province, China (LU Run-guo); Department of Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China (WANG Yu, WU Xiao-ke)
  • Received:2025-05-17 Published:2025-09-15 Online:2025-09-12
  • Contact: WU Xiao-ke E-mail:xiaokewu2002@vip.sina.com

Abstract:

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the common malignant tumors in women. Most of patients are diagnosed at the advanced stage due to its insidious onset, resulting in poor clinical treatment outcomes. Currently, the treatment of OC mainly relies on chemotherapy and surgery, but the chemotherapy resistance and adverse reactions remain the clinical challenge. Studies have shown that the abnormal expressions of multiple signaling pathways are related to the pathogenesis of OC, such as the abnormal activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway. The active components of traditional Chinese medicine can regulate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration and angiogenesis of OC cells, to promote the apoptosis of OC cells, and to improve the chemosensitivity of OC cells. This review summarizes the role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in OC and the research progress on the mechanism of the active components of traditional Chinese medicine in regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, with the aim of providing a reference for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment or adjutant therapy of OC.

Key words: Ovarian neoplasms, Antineoplastic agents (TCD), Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases, Proto-oncogene proteins c-akt, Cell proliferation, Cell movement, Apoptosis