Compound/agent Species Cell line Autophagic markers Reference
puromycin   HeLa cervix cancer, DU145 prostate cancer, RAW264.7 macrophages formation of polyubiquitinated defective ribosomal products (DRiPs) ↑ [16]
prenylated flavones   ER(+) and MCR-7 ER(-) MDA-MB-23I breast cancer autophagic vacuolization monodansylcadaverine staining [17]
MK615 extract Prunus mume (Japanese apricot) SW 480, CoLo, WiDr Colon Ca autophagic vacuoles, ATG8 immuno-fluorescence [apoptosis] [18]
extract Solanum nigrum L. HepG2 liver cancer low doses: autophagic vacuoles, LC-I and LC-II expression ↑, Bcl-2 and Akt expression ↓ high doses: p-JNK and Bax expression ↑=apoptosis [19]
xanthohumol, isoxanthohumol, 8-prenylnaringenin, 6-prenylnaringenin Humulus lupulus L. PC-3, Du 145 prostate cancer autophagic vacuoles, no caspase-3 activation, no apoptosis [20]
voacamine Peschiera fuchsiaefolia Multidrug-resistant osteosarcoma autophagic vacuolization, LC-3 expression and conversion, monodansylcadaverine staining (=autophagosome-specific dye) [21]
proteoglycan extract areca nut CE81T/VGH cells autophagic vacuoles, acidic vesicles, LC3-I cleavage [22]
30-100 kDA extract areca nut   autophagic vacuoles, acidic vesicles, phosphorylation of mTOR ↓, LC-I cleavage [23]
evodiamine Tetradium spec. HeLa cervix cancer monodansylcadaverine staining, Beclin-I expression ↑, LC3 expression ↑, 3-MA(= autophagy inhibitor) decreased cell viability [24]
organic extract Catha edulis Forsk. Leukemia cell lines MOLM-13 morphological features of autophagy [apoptosis: McR-1↓, c-FLIPL cleavage ↑, pro-caspase-8 activation ↑; mitochondrial damage] [25]
timasaponin A III Anemarrhena asphodeloides various cancer cell lines mTORC1 inhibition induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress (eIF2alpha phosphorylation ↑; caspase-4 activation↑)→proapoptotic pathways [26]
extract Sutherlandia frutescens MCF-7 breast cancer autophagic vacuolarization [hypercondensed chromatin→apoptosis] [27]
UNBS 1450 01 (=derivative of 2-oxovoruscharin 02) Calotropis procera   sodium pump inhibitor, disorganization of actin cytoskeleton [28]
isocannflavin B   T47D autophagic vacuolization, Akt phophorylation ↓; p21 (Cip21) expression↑ [29]
concanavalin A Jack bean seeds ? autophagy→checken [immunomodulation] [30]
alisol B Alisma orientale (rhizome) various cancer cell lines autophagosome flux + formation; cell death, Go/G1 cell cycle arrest; activation of CaMMK-AMPK-mTOR pathway; disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis; binding to SERCA; [apoptosis] [31]
chloroform extract Physalis minima L. Caov-3 Human ovarian cancer Human ovarian cancer vacuolated morphology; [apoptosis] [32]
bafilomycin F, G, H, and J Streptomyces ssp. MCF-7 breast cancer microscopy+biochemical assays? → checken! [33]
triterpene extract Ganoderma lucidum Colon cancer autophagic vacuoles, Beclin-1↑, LC-3↑; Go/G1 cell cycle arrest; cell death; inhibition of p38 MAPK reduced autophagy [34]
artesunate Artemisia annua MCF-7 breast cancer endolysosomal and autophagosomal compartments, inhibiting autophagosome turnover and causing perinuclear clustering of autophagosomes, early and late endosomes, and lysosomes. [9] Hamacher-Brady et al.
Table 1: Natural products inducing autophagy in cancer cells.