[The role and mechanism of anticancer of dihydroartemisinin].

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has recently shown antitumor activity in various cancer cells including cancers of cervix, pancreas, prostate, liver and neuroblastoma. Numerous studies in vivo and in vitro indicate that DHA possesses unique antitumor features and appears to be a promising chemotherapeutic agents. Here we systematically review the advances in research of anticancer of dihydroartemisinin, as well as summarize the mechanisms of its inducing apoptosis,delay cell-cycle, inhibitory cell proliferation and downregulate angiogenesis.