The New Developments of Cantharidin and Its Analogues

Canthiridin has significant anti-cancer effects and it is limited to be used due to its toxicity. While cantharidin causes some side effects such as hematochezia and tenesmus, it can efficiently inhibit various tumor cell lines, we must attach importance to it. Several its analogues show similar functions like cantharidin without highly toxicity. In order to utilize cantharidin to treat cancer, some viable methods are found to reduce its side effects. Cantharidin can inhibit the activity of protein phosphatases, new researches for the inhibition of protein phosphatases have been implemented.