A comprehensive review on the anti-cancer properties of sesame lignans: chemical composition, molecular mechanisms and prospects

Abstract

This review presents a comprehensive report on recent advances in the chemical composition, structures, and diversity of sesame lignans, as well as their anti-cancer properties and underlying molecular mechanisms. An in-depth examination of preclinical and clinical evidence pertaining to the role of sesame lignans in chemotherapy and chemoprevention, focusing on reports of the effects on various indicators of cancer, including cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, invasion, migration, metastasis, signaling pathways, etc. was performed. Of over 40 sesame lignans identified, three, namely sesamin, sesamol, and sesamolin stood out for their significant anticancer properties against the most common cancer types, including lung, breast, colorectal, prostate, cervical, and liver cancer. The findings suggest that these sesame lignans could be applied in the development of chemotherapeutic agents, as adjuvants, or as part of combination therapies with traditional chemotherapeutic agents. In the latter case, sesame lignans could augment, potentiate the chemotherapeutic efficacy, and/or mitigate the adverse side-effects of the conventional agents. Furthermore, challenges, prospects, and recommendations towards the clinical translation of sesame lignans as bedside cancer therapies have been highlighted. For example, since most of the available evidence thus far is preclinical in nature, there is a need for further robust clinical investigations to ascertain the anti-cancer potency and safety in humans. This work is replete with insights that can serve as a valuable reference for understanding the role of sesame lignans and their potential for development of novel effective anti-cancer chemotherapeutics.