Embelin: a benzoquinone possesses therapeutic potential for the treatment of human cancer

Natural products have been gaining recognition and are becoming a significant part of research in the area of drug development and discovery. Phytochemicals derived from these sources have been comprehensively studied and have displayed a wide range of activities against many fatal diseases including cancer. One such product that has gained recognition from its pharmacological properties and nontoxic nature is embelin, obtained from Embelia ribes. Amid all the vivid pharmacological activities, embelin has gained its prominence in the area of cancer research. Embelin binds to the BIR3 domain of XIAP, preventing the association of XIAP and caspase-9 resulting in the suppression of cell growth, proliferation and migration of various types of cancer cells. Furthermore, embelin modulates anti-apoptotic pathways by suppressing the activity of NF-kappa B, PI3-kinase/AKT, JAK/STAT pathway - among others. The present review summarizes the various reported effects of embelin on different types of cancer cells and highlights the cellular mechanisms of action.