Researchers have proven the Litchi seeds of possessing salutary pharmacodynamic effects, such as dispelling cold, relieving pain, promoting the circulation of qi, and removing stasis. This has resulted in its categorization as an affinal drug and diet in the traditional Chinese medicine. Important research progress has been obtained on the chemical components, traditional pharmacological effects, antivirus and antitumor effects, their molecular mechanisms and immune effects of litchi seeds in recent years. In this review, we have focused on the antitumorrelated effects and mechanisms for the purpose of better utilization and comprehensive understanding of litchi seeds.
Castellain, R.C., Gesser, M. and Tonini, F. (2014) Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antinociceptive Properties of Litchi chinensis Leaves. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 6, 1796-1807. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jphp.12309
Hwang, J.-Y., Lin, J.-T. and Liu, S.-C. (2013) Protective Role of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Flower Extract against Cadmium- and Lead-Induced Cytotoxicity and Transforming Growth Factor β1-Stimulated Expression of Smooth Muscle-Actin Estimated with Rat Liver Cell Lines. Journal of Functional Foods, 5, 698-705. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2013.01.013
Jiang, G., Lin, S. and Wen, L. (2013) Identification of Anovel Phenolic Compound in Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Pericarp and Bioactivity Evaluation. Food Chemistry, 136, 563-568. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.08.089
Zhao, M., Yang, B. and Liu, Y. (2007) Immunomodulatory and Anticancer Activities of Flavonoids Extracted from Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Pericarp. International Immunopharmacology, 7, 162-166. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2006.09.003
Wen, L., Wu, D. and Jiang, Y. (2014) Identification of Flavonoids in Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Leaf and Evaluation of Anticancer Activities. Journal of Functional Foods, 6, 555-563. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2013.11.022
Lin, C.C., Chung, Y.C. and Hsu, C.P. (2013) Anti-Cancer Potential of Litchi Seed Extract. World Journal of Experimental Medicine, 3, 56-61.
Lin, N., Xiao, L.Y. and Pan, J.Q. (2008) Effects of Semen Litchi on the Expressions of S180 and EAC Tumor Cells and Bax and Bcl-2 Proteins in Rats. China Pharmacy, 19, 1138-1140.
Xiong, A.H., Shen, W.J. and Xiao, L.Y. (2008) Effect of Semen Litchi Containing Serum on Proliferation and Apoptosis of HepG2 Cells. Journal of Chinese Medicinal Materials, 31, 1533-1536.
Hsu, C.P., Lin, C.C. and Huang, C.C. (2012) Induction of Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Colorectal Carcinoma by Litchi Seed Extract. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, 2012, Article ID: 341479. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/341479
Wang, X., Yuan, S. and Wang, J. (2006) Anticancer Activity of Litchi Fruit Pericarp Extract against Human Breast Cancer in Vitro and in Vivo. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 215, 168-178. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2006.02.004
Zhang, N., Zhou, Z. and Feng, X. (2012) Comparison and Elevation on Antitumor Activity in Vitro of the Litchi Seeds and Longan Seeds Water Extract. Hunan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 28, 133-135.
Wang, X., Xiao, L. and Pan, J. (2007) Experimental Studies of Effects of Antitumor of Litchi Seed Ke Li and the Activity of in the Tissue-End of EAC, S180 and Hepatic Carcinoma of Rats. China Healthcare Innovation, 2, 54-56.
Lv, Q., Si, M. and Yan, Y. (2014) Effects of Phenolic-Rich Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Pulp Extracts on Glucose Consumption in Human HepG2 Cells. Journal of Functional Foods, 7, 621-629. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2013.12.023
Huang, F., Zhang, R. and Yang, Y. (2014) Comparison of Physicochemical Properties and Immunomodulatory Activity of Polysaccharides from Fresh and Dried Litchi Pulp. Molecules, 19, 3909-3925. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules19043909
Wen, L., He, J. and Wu, D. (2014) Identification of Sesquilignans in Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Leaf and Their Anticancer Activities. Journal of Functional Foods, 8, 26-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2014.02.017
Xu, X., Xie, H. and Hao, J. (2010) Eudesmane Sesquiterpene Glucosides from Lychee Seed and Their Cytotoxic Activity. Food Chemistry, 123, 1123-1126. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.05.073
Al-Fatlawi, A.A., Al-Fatlawi, A.A. and Irshad, M. (2014) Rice Bran Phytic Acid Induced Apoptosis through Regulation of Bcl-2/Bax and p53 Genes in HepG2 Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 15, 3731-3736. http://dx.doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.8.3731
Guo, L., Xiao, S. and Guo, Y. (2004) Detection of Bcl-2 and Bax Expression and bc-2/JH Fusion Gene in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 10, 3251-3254.
Pamukcu, B., Lip, G.Y.H. and Shantsila, E. (2011) The Nuclear Factor-kappaB Pathway in Atherosclerosis: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Atherothrombotic Vascular Disease. Thrombosis Research, 128, 117-123. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.thromres.2011.03.025
Chen, L., Zhang, X. and Chen, J. (2014) NF-κB Plays a Key Role in Microcystin-RR-Induced HeLa Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis. Toxicon, 87, 120-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.06.002
Yang, D.J., Chang, Y.-Y. and Lin, H.W. (2014) Inhibitory Effect of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Flower on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Expression of Proinflammatory Mediators in RAW264.7 Cells through NF-κB, ERK, and JAK2/ STAT3 Inactivation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 62, 3458-3465. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf5003705
Olajide, O.A., Heiss, E.H. and Wright, C.W. (2007) Synthetic Cryptolepine Inhibits DNA Binding of NF-kappaB. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 15, 43-49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2006.10.018
Liang, Z., Guo, Y.T. and Y,i Y.J. (2014) Ganoderma Lucidum Polysaccharides Target a Fas/Caspase Dependent Pathway to Induce Apoptosis in Human Colon Cancer Cells. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 15, 3981-3986. http://dx.doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.9.3981
Wang, H., Shen, W. and Huang, X. (2010) Antiprolifeative and Induced Apptosis Effects of Litchi Seeds Extract on HepG-2 Cells. Journal of Jinan University (Natural Science & Medicine Edition), 31, 364-368.
Shen, W., Wen, X. and Wang, H. (2010) Growth Inhibitory and Apoptosis-Inducing Effects of Litchi Seed Extract on Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells. Pharmacology and Clinics of Chinese Materia Medica, 26, 45-48.
Li, W., Lin, Q. and Lin, J. (2002) Study on Relationship between Cell Proliferation of Uterus Leiomyoma and Epidermal Growth Factor-Receptor. Shanghai Medical Journal, 25, 202-204.
Li, K., Guan, Y. and Li, Y. (2011) Influences of Effective Fractions of Ju Li San Jie Wan on Expression of EGF, EGFR and PR-A in Uterine Leiomyoma Cells. Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 34, 455-459.
Jing, Y., Huang, L. and Lv, W. (2014) Structural Characterization of a Novel Polysaccharide from Pulp Tissues of Litchi chinensis and Its Immunomodulatory Activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 62, 902-911. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf404752c
Li, X.-H., Li, F.-S. and Wei, W. (2008) Effect of Litchi Polyacchaarides on Immunological Function of Mice. Lishizhen Medicine and Materia Medica Research, 19, 2119-2120.
Chen, F., Hu, J. and Xiao, L. (2009) Experimental Study of Litchi Seed on Mouse Tumor Animal Model and Immune Regulation. Journal of Chinese Medicinal Materials, 32, 774-776.
Pilzer, D., Gasser, O. and Fishelson, Z. (2005) Emission of Membrane Vesicles: Roles in Complement Resistance, Immunity and Cancer. Springer Seminars in Immunopathology, 27, 375-387. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00281-005-0004-1
Pio, R., Ajona, D. and Lambris, J.D. (2013) Complement Inhibition in Cancer Therapy. Seminars in Immunology, 25, 54-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smim.2013.04.001
Moghimi, S.M. (2014) Cancer Nanomedicine and the Complement System Activation Paradigm: Anaphylaxis and Tumour Growth. Journal of Controlled Release, 190, 556-562. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.03.051
Lin, N., Xiao, L.Y. and Zhang, D. (2007) Experimental Studies of Effects of Antitumor of Litchi Seed and Immunology Adhering in Red Cell of Hepatic Carcinoma. China Healthcare Innovation, 2, 1-2.
Pikovski, M.A., Ziffroni-Gallon, Y. and Witz, I.P. (1975) Suppression of Immune Response to Sheep Red Blood Cells in Mice Treated with Preparations of a Tumor Cell Component and in Tumor-Bearing Mice. European Journal of Immunology, 5, 447-450. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.1830050704
Xu, Q. and Zhu, B. (2012) The Research Progress on Telomere, Telomerase and hTERT/hTERC Genes. Journal of Molecular Diagnostics and Th, 4, 267-271.
Kheirollahi, M., Mehrazin, M. and Kamalian, N. (2013) Telomerase Activity in Human Brain Tumors: Astrocytoma and Meningioma. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, 33, 569-574. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10571-013-9923-x
Liu, Z., Zhong, J. and Chai, Z. (2014) The Significance and Progress of Telomere and Telomerase in Cancer. Life Science Research, 18, 261-264.
Xiao, L., Hong, Z. and Jiang, J. (2007) Anti-Tumor Effect of Semen Litchi and Its Effect on Telomerase Activation of Hepatoma Tissue. China Pharmacy, 18, 1366-1367.
Research Progress on the Antineoplastic Pharmacological Effects and Mechanisms of Litchi Seeds — Oak Academic Publishing