Natural products have gained a wide popularity as chemopreventive and anti-cancer agents owing to their multi-mechanistic mode of action, availability and synergism with several conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Crocetin is a carotenoid compound isolated from the stigma of Crocus sativus L. (saffron). Crocetin has shown promising effects as an anti-tumor agent in animal models and cell culture systems. Crocetin retards the growth of cancer cells via inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis, enhancing anti-oxidative system, and inducing apoptosis and differentiation pathways. The present review outlines natural sources of crocetin, and its pharmacokinetic and pharmacological properties relevant to the prevention and treatment of cancer. Also, we discuss molecular targets underlying the putative anti-tumor effects of crocetin.

中文翻译：

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大黄素和相关分子靶标的抗肿瘤作用。

天然产物由于其多种作用方式，可利用性以及与几种常规化学治疗剂的协同作用，已广泛用作化学预防剂和抗癌剂。Crocetin是一种从番红花番红花（藏红花）的柱头分离的类胡萝卜素化合物。Crocetin在动物模型和细胞培养系统中作为抗肿瘤剂已显示出令人鼓舞的效果。Crocetin通过抑制核酸合成，增强抗氧化系统以及诱导凋亡和分化途径来延迟癌细胞的生长。本综述概述了大黄素的天然来源及其与癌症的预防和治疗有关的药代动力学和药理特性。此外，我们讨论了潜在的大黄素假定的抗肿瘤作用的分子靶标。