Honokiol

Honokiol is a sparingly water-soluble polyphenol, which is isolated from the cones, bark and leaves of genus Magnolia. Magnolia grandifloris has been used in the traditional Asian herbal medicine. Recently, honokiol has been found to have antiangiogenic, anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties in preclinical models without appreciable toxicity. [1]

Honkiol may benefit people at risk of cancers.

Fried L and Arbiser JL from Emory University, Georgia, explained two actions of honokiol which may allow honokiol as an anti-cancer agent. Honokiol blocks signaling in tumors with defective p53 function and activated ras by directly blocking the activation of phospholipase D by activated ras. It also induces cyclophilin D, thus potentiating the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, and causing death in cells with wild type p53. [1]

Some test-tube studies have demonstrated its potential benefits on animals or even human at risk of cancers such as lymph nodes metastasis, melanoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma, breast, lung, liver, colon, leukemia, cervical, stomach, ovarian, prostate cancers, [2-11,17] Its anti-cancer activity has been shown to be related with the cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis via modulating signal transduction pathways, such as VEGFR-3. [3,5] A study has shown that liposomal honokiol also has an anti-tumor effect via inducing apoptosis and inhibiting angiogenesis and liposomal honokiol intensified the therapeutic effects of radiotherapy. In a study of mice, a 12 day-treatment of honokiol and radiation decreased a tumor volume by 78%. [4] Combination of honokiol with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin presented synergistic effects on induction of apoptosis of breast cancer cells. [7]

Honkiol may benefit people suffered from diabetes.

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