Osteosarcoma is a rare primary malignancy of bone that is prone to early metastasis. Resection surgery and chemotherapeutic regimens are current standard treatments for osteosarcoma. However, the long-term survival rate of patients with osteosarcoma is low due to a high risk of metastasis. Hence, a new approach is urgently needed to improve the treatment of osteosarcoma. Compared with chemotherapy, natural active constituents isolated from herbs exhibit less adverse effects and better anti-tumor effects. This study aimed to summarize the anticancer effects of constituents of herbs on the progression and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells. It showed that many constituents of herbs inhibited osteosarcoma by targeting proliferation, matrix metalloproteinases, integrin and cadherin, and angiogenesis. The findings might be beneficial for the development of new drugs and treatment strategies.
Keywords: constituents of herbs; metastasis; osteosarcoma; review.