Cardenolides in cancer therapy

Cardiac glycosides are a group of natural products that share a steroid-like structure with an unsaturated lactone ring. They induce cardiontonic effects by inhibiting Na + /K + -ATPase. Cardiac glycosides have been used traditionally in the treatment of congestive heart failure. More recent studies suggested that cardiac glycosides may also be useful in cancer therapy as they inhibit cell proliferation and cancer cell growth at nanomolar concentrations. The underlying molecular mechanisms are still under investigation. Long-circulating and fusogenic liposomes loaded with a glucoevatromomoside derivative induce potent antitumor response.