Shikonin / TumCI Cancer Research Results

SK, Shikonin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
The (R)-enantiomer of alkannin is known as shikonin, and the racemic mixture of the two is known as shikalkin.
Shikonin is a naphthoquinone derivative primarily isolated from the roots of plants in the Boraginaceae family (e.g., Lithospermum erythrorhizon).
Shikonin is the main active component of a Chinese medicinal plant 'Zi Cao'
-Shikonin is a major component of zicao (purple gromwell, the dried root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon), a Chinese herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory properties
-Quinone methides (QMs) are highly reactive intermediates formed from natural compounds like shikonin
-ic50 cancer cells 1-10uM, normal cells >10uM

-known as Glycolysis inhibitor: ( inhibit pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2*******), a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway)

Available from mcsformulas.com Shikonin Pro Liposomal, 30 mg
Also In Glycolysis Inhibithree(100 mg PHLORIZIN,10 mg TANSHINONE IIA, 8 mg Shikonin)

-Note half-life15-30mins or 8hr?.
BioAv low, poor water solubility
Pathways:
- usually induce ROS production in cancer cells, and reduce ROS in normal cells.
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, GRP78↑, Ca+2↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓,
- Lowers AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓, TrxR↓**, SOD↓, GSH↓ Catalase↓ GPx4↓
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, IGF-1↓, uPA↓, VEGF↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, TGF-β↓, ERK↓
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits glycolysis /Warburg Effect and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, PDKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK, P53↑,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells
Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance
1 PKM2-mediated aerobic glycolysis (Warburg metabolism) ↓ Energy / biomass restriction Key, repeatedly reported mechanism: shikonin suppresses PKM2 activity and PKM2-driven glycolysis in multiple tumor models, with downstream growth inhibition and apoptosis
2 ROS accumulation / oxidative stress ↑ ROS Redox overload Common upstream trigger that drives mitochondrial dysfunction and regulated cell death programs; often precedes necroptosis/apoptosis signaling
3 Necroptosis core cascade (RIPK1 → RIPK3 → MLKL) ↑ Programmed necrotic cell death Strong evidence across cancers (e.g., leukemia and nasopharyngeal carcinoma): shikonin increases RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL expression/activation; necroptosis inhibitors can blunt the effect
4 Mitochondrial integrity (ΔΨm) ↓ Mitochondrial dysfunction ROS-linked depolarization; acts as a pivot into intrinsic apoptosis and other death programs
5 Intrinsic apoptosis (BAX/BAK → Caspase-9/3) ↑ Programmed cell death Frequently observed; often framed as ROS → mitochondrial damage → caspase-dependent apoptosis
6 PKM2/STAT3 signaling axis ↓ Reduced survival & proliferation signaling In ESCC and related models, shikonin suppresses PKM2-driven glycolysis and down-modulates STAT3 pathway activity
7 NF-κB pathway ↓ Reduced pro-survival transcription Reported as part of multi-target suppression of inflammatory/anti-apoptotic programs in several tumor models and reviews
8 PI3K–AKT (± mTOR) ↓ Growth & resistance pathway inhibition Often described as sensitizing cells to apoptosis/TRAIL; may be secondary to oxidative stress and metabolic collapse
9 Stress MAPKs (JNK / p38) ↑ Pro-death stress signaling Common downstream response to ROS; can reinforce apoptosis and other death outcomes
10 Ferroptosis-related axis (lipid peroxidation; GPX4) ↑ lipid perox / ↓ GPX4 Iron-dependent oxidative death Reported prominently for acetylshikonin (a shikonin derivative): ROS-associated lipid peroxidation with reduced GPX4 expression alongside RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL activation
11 Endoplasmic reticulum stress (UPR / ERS) ↑ Proteotoxic stress signaling Frequently mentioned in leukemia-focused mechanism summaries and broader reviews as contributory to growth arrest and death
12 Multiple regulated death programs (apoptosis / necroptosis / ferroptosis / pyroptosis) ↑ (context-dependent) Broader cell-death engagement Recent reviews emphasize that shikonin can engage several programmed cell death modalities depending on cell context and dosing
Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 PKM2-mediated aerobic glycolysis (Warburg metabolism) ↓ PKM2 activity / ↓ glycolysis Energy & biomass restriction Demonstrates shikonin (and analogs) inhibit cancer glycolysis, reducing glucose consumption/lactate production via PKM2 targeting (ref)
2 PKM2 → STAT3 signaling axis ↓ PKM2-driven signaling / ↓ STAT3 pathway Reduced survival & proliferation ESCC study: shikonin suppresses PKM2-mediated aerobic glycolysis and regulates PKM2/STAT3 signaling (ref)
3 Necroptosis (RIPK1 → RIPK3 → MLKL) ↑ RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL Programmed necrotic cell death Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: shikonin induces necroptosis with upregulation of RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL (with ROS involvement) (ref)
4 ROS accumulation ↑ ROS Oxidative stress trigger Colon cancer model: shikonin increases intracellular ROS; ROS functions upstream of apoptosis (ref)
5 Mitochondrial apoptosis (Caspase-9/3) ↑ Caspase-9/3 Programmed cell death Same colon cancer study shows shikonin increases caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity (mitochondria-mediated apoptosis) (ref)
6 ER stress / UPR (PERK → eIF2α → CHOP) ↑ Proteotoxic stress apoptosis signaling Colon cancer: shikonin-induced apoptosis mediated by PERK/eIF2α/CHOP ER-stress pathway (ref)
7 Autophagic flux (autophagosome–lysosome completion) ↓ autophagic flux (blocked) ROS + apoptosis amplification Colorectal cancer: shikonin induces ROS and apoptosis by inhibiting autophagic flux (ref)
8 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activity Reduced pro-survival transcription Pancreatic cancer xenograft/mechanistic study: shikonin suppresses NF-κB activity and NF-κB–regulated gene products (ref)
9 PI3K–AKT–mTOR (stemness / chemoresistance axis) ↓ PI3K/AKT/mTOR Reduced survival & stemness Chemoresistant lung cancer CSC context: shikonin attenuates PI3K–Akt–mTOR pathway and reduces cancer stemness (ref)
10 Cell cycle control (p21; G2/M arrest) ↑ p21 / ↑ G2/M arrest Proliferation block Gastric cancer (AGS): shikonin induces cell-cycle arrest linked to p21 regulation (ref)
11 Invasion / metastasis programs (NF-κB-linked) ↓ invasion Anti-invasive phenotype Reports shikonin inhibits tumor invasion via down-regulation of NF-κB–related mechanisms in a high-metastatic tumor model (ref)
12 Chemosensitization via glycolysis suppression ↓ glycolysis / ↑ cisplatin sensitivity Combination benefit NSCLC: shikonin inhibits glycolysis and sensitizes cells to cisplatin (explicitly connecting metabolic suppression to chemosensitization) (ref)


TumCI, Tumor Cell invasion: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
Tumor cell invasion is a critical process in cancer progression and metastasis, where cancer cells spread from the primary tumor to surrounding tissues and distant organs. This process involves several key steps and mechanisms:

1.Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT): Many tumors originate from epithelial cells, which are typically organized in layers. During EMT, these cells lose their epithelial characteristics (such as cell-cell adhesion) and gain mesenchymal traits (such as increased motility). This transition is crucial for invasion.

2.Degradation of Extracellular Matrix (ECM): Tumor cells secrete enzymes, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), that degrade the ECM, allowing cancer cells to invade surrounding tissues. This degradation facilitates the movement of cancer cells through the tissue.

3.Cell Migration: Once the ECM is degraded, cancer cells can migrate. They often use various mechanisms, including amoeboid movement and mesenchymal migration, to move through the tissue. This migration is influenced by various signaling pathways and the tumor microenvironment.

4.Angiogenesis: As tumors grow, they require a blood supply to provide nutrients and oxygen. Tumor cells can stimulate the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) through the release of growth factors like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This not only supports tumor growth but also provides a route for cancer cells to enter the bloodstream.

5.Invasion into Blood Vessels (Intravasation): Cancer cells can invade nearby blood vessels, allowing them to enter the circulatory system. This step is crucial for metastasis, as it enables cancer cells to travel to distant sites in the body.

6.Survival in Circulation: Once in the bloodstream, cancer cells must survive the immune response and the shear stress of blood flow. They can form clusters with platelets or other cells to evade detection.

7.Extravasation and Colonization: After traveling through the bloodstream, cancer cells can exit the circulation (extravasation) and invade new tissues. They may then establish secondary tumors (metastases) in distant organs.

8.Tumor Microenvironment: The surrounding microenvironment plays a significant role in tumor invasion. Factors such as immune cells, fibroblasts, and signaling molecules can either promote or inhibit invasion and metastasis.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
2232- SK,    Shikonin Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Esophageal Cancer EC9706 Cells by Regulating the AMPK/mTOR/ULK Axis
- in-vitro, ESCC, EC9706
tumCV↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TumAuto↑, Apoptosis↑, Bcl-2↓, BAX↑, cl‑Casp3↑, cl‑Casp8↑, cl‑PARP↑, AMPK↑, mTOR↑, TumVol↓, OS↑, LC3I↑,
2360- SK,    Shikonin inhibits growth, invasion and glycolysis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through inactivating the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/AKT signal pathway
- in-vitro, NPC, HONE1 - in-vitro, NPC, SUNE-1
TumCP↓, Apoptosis↑, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, GlucoseCon↓, lactateProd↓, ATP↓, PKM2↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, MMP3↓, MMP9↓, TIMP1↑,
2234- SK,    Shikonin Suppresses Cell Tumorigenesis in Gastric Cancer Associated with the Inhibition of c-Myc and Yap-1
- in-vitro, GC, NA
TumCP↓, TumCI↓, TumCMig↓, cMyc↓, YAP/TEAD↓,
3048- SK,    Shikonin inhibits triple-negative breast cancer-cell metastasis by reversing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via glycogen synthase kinase 3β-regulated suppression of β-catenin signaling
- in-vitro, BC, MDA-MB-231 - in-vitro, BC, 4T1 - in-vitro, Nor, MCF12A - in-vivo, NA, NA
tumCV↓, selectivity↑, EMT↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, E-cadherin↑, N-cadherin↓, Vim↓, Snail↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, GSK‐3β↑,
3046- SK,    Shikonin attenuates lung cancer cell adhesion to extracellular matrix and metastasis by inhibiting integrin β1 expression and the ERK1/2 signaling pathway
- in-vitro, Lung, A549
TumCP↓, TumCI↓, TumCMig↓, p‑ERK↓, ITGB1↓,
3041- SK,    Promising Nanomedicines of Shikonin for Cancer Therapy
- Review, Var, NA
Glycolysis↓, TAMS↝, BioAv↓, Half-Life↝, P21↑, ERK↓, ROS↑, GSH↓, MMP↓, TrxR↓, MMP13↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, SIRT2↑, Hif1a↓, PKM2↓, TumCP↓, TumMeta↓, TumCI↓,
2417- SK,    Shikonin inhibits the Warburg effect, cell proliferation, invasion and migration by downregulating PFKFB2 expression in lung cancer
- in-vitro, Lung, A549 - in-vitro, Lung, H446
TumCP↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, GlucoseCon↓, lactateProd↓, PFKFB2↓, Warburg↓, GLUT1∅, LDHA∅, PKM2∅, GLUT3∅, PDH∅,
2183- SK,    Shikonin Inhibites Migration and Invasion of Thyroid Cancer Cells by Downregulating DNMT1
- in-vitro, Thyroid, TPC-1
TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, PTEN↑, DNMT1↓,
2182- SK,  Cisplatin,    Shikonin inhibited glycolysis and sensitized cisplatin treatment in non-small cell lung cancer cells via the exosomal pyruvate kinase M2 pathway
- in-vitro, Lung, A549 - in-vitro, Lung, PC9 - in-vivo, NA, NA
tumCV↓, TumCP↓, TumCI↓, TumCMig↓, Apoptosis↑, PKM2↓, Glycolysis↓, GlucoseCon↓, lactateProd↓, ChemoSen↑, TumVol↓, TumW↓, GLUT1↓,
2210- SK,    Shikonin inhibits the cell viability, adhesion, invasion and migration of the human gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 via the Toll-like receptor 2/nuclear factor-kappa B pathway
- in-vitro, BC, MGC803
TumCA↓, TumCI↓, TumCMig↓, MMP2↓, MMP7↓, TLR2↓, p65↓, NF-kB↓, eff↑, ROS↑,
2203- SK,    Shikonin suppresses small cell lung cancer growth via inducing ATF3-mediated ferroptosis to promote ROS accumulation
- in-vitro, Lung, NA
TumCP↓, Apoptosis↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, Ferroptosis↑, ERK↓, GPx4↓, 4-HNE↑, ROS↑, GSH↓, ATF3↑, HDAC1↓, ac‑Histones↑,
2190- SK,    Shikonin exerts antitumor activity by causing mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatocellular carcinoma through PKM2-AMPK-PGC1α signaling pathway
- in-vitro, HCC, HCCLM3
TumCP↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, Apoptosis↑, MMP↓, ROS↑, OCR↓, ATP↓, PKM2↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 12 of 12

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 12

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

4-HNE↑, 1,   ATF3↑, 1,   Ferroptosis↑, 1,   GPx4↓, 1,   GSH↓, 2,   ROS↑, 4,   TrxR↓, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

ATP↓, 2,   MMP↓, 2,   OCR↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

AMPK↑, 1,   cMyc↓, 1,   GlucoseCon↓, 3,   Glycolysis↓, 2,   ac‑Histones↑, 1,   lactateProd↓, 3,   LDHA∅, 1,   PDH∅, 1,   PFKFB2↓, 1,   PKM2↓, 4,   PKM2∅, 1,   SIRT2↑, 1,   Warburg↓, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 4,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   cl‑Casp3↑, 1,   cl‑Casp8↑, 1,   Ferroptosis↑, 1,   YAP/TEAD↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

tumCV↓, 3,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes ⓘ

LC3I↑, 1,   TumAuto↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

DNMT1↓, 1,   cl‑PARP↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

P21↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

EMT↓, 1,   ERK↓, 2,   p‑ERK↓, 1,   GSK‐3β↑, 1,   HDAC1↓, 1,   mTOR↑, 1,   PI3K↓, 1,   PTEN↑, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

E-cadherin↑, 1,   ITGB1↓, 1,   MMP13↓, 1,   MMP2↓, 2,   MMP3↓, 1,   MMP7↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 2,   N-cadherin↓, 1,   Snail↓, 1,   TIMP1↑, 1,   TumCA↓, 1,   TumCI↓, 12,   TumCMig↓, 11,   TumCP↓, 8,   TumMeta↓, 1,   Vim↓, 1,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

Hif1a↓, 1,   TAMS↝, 1,  

Barriers & Transport ⓘ

GLUT1↓, 1,   GLUT1∅, 1,   GLUT3∅, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

NF-kB↓, 1,   p65↓, 1,   TLR2↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1,   ChemoSen↑, 1,   eff↑, 1,   Half-Life↝, 1,   selectivity↑, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

OS↑, 1,   TumVol↓, 2,   TumW↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 79

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: TumCI, Tumor Cell invasion
12 Shikonin
1 Cisplatin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:150  Target#:324  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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