Polyoxometalates (POMs) have attracted a considerable attention due to their unique structural characteristics and chemical properties. The research of polyoxometalates as anticancer chemotherapy drugs especially has become inexhaustible motivation to the scholars. Therefore, the anticancer activities of POMs become one of the frontier subjects in this field. This paper summarizes the research progress in the field of anticancer bioactivities of polyoxometalates at home and abroad, including the basis of anti-cancer effect of polyoxometalates, anti-cancer effect in vitro, anti-cancer effect in vivo and the anticancer mechanism of isopoly acid and heteropoly acid with diversiform structured types. It has put forward some solutions to the important problems in anticancer application research of polyoxometalates currently. This paper provides the reference for the anticancer drug research of polyoxometalates. Contents
1 Introduction
2 Basis of anticancer effect of polyoxometalates
2.1 Origin of cancer
2.2 Anticancer active site
3 Anticancer research of polyoxometalates in vitro
3.1 Anticancer effect of isopoly acid in vitro
3.2 Anticancer effect of heteropoly acid in vitro
4 Anticancer research of polyoxometalates in vivo
4.1 Anticancer effect of isopoly acid in vivo
4.2 Anticancer effect of heteropoly acid in vivo
5 Anticancer mechanism of polyoxometalates
6 Conclusion and outlook