Abstract: Artesunate,a water-soluble artemisinin derivative,has been widely used as an anti-malarial agent.ART also possesses anti-tumor potential,and inhibits various common human tumors such as breast cancer,lung cancer,liver cancer,stomach cancer,cervical cancer,leukemia,etc.The multiple mechanisms of anticancer activity of ART comprise inhibition of proliferation of tumor cells,induction of differentiation and apoptosis,anti-angiogenesis,regulation of cell signal transduction,inhibition of invasion and metastasis.This paper presented a review of research progress on the anti-tumor mechanism and clinical application of artesunate.

Key words: artemisinin, artesunate, tumor, mechanism, clinical