Natural compounds from traditional Chinese medicine regulating stem cell fate: Identification and therapeutic potential
Zhigao Zhao, Yu Ma, Shizhe Wang, Mengyuan Zhou, Yang Tian, Yang Li, Jian Gu, Rui Tan
Abstract
The problems of uncontrolled stem cell differentiation and the limited number of cells available represent significant obstacles to the advancement of stem cell research in the medical field. It is therefore imperative to control the potential of stem cells and to develop effective methods to regulate stem cell fate. A number of natural products derived from TCM have been shown to provide valuable insights into the regulation of biological signals and epigenetic mechanisms in stem cells. Furthermore, the structural modification of these natural products by synthetic means promises to unlock a wealth of possibilities in the field of precision regenerative medicine. However, a systematic and comprehensive review of these natural products has yet to be conducted. This article presents an overview of the natural products that have been identified as regulating the fate of stem cells. It includes a discussion of the classification, mechanism of action, and current prospects for the application of these natural products as lead compounds. This provides valuable insights for the advancement of TCM modernization and internationalization, precision regenerative medicine involving natural products and stem cells, the discovery of green lead compounds, and the development of new drugs.