Abstract: The research progress on the biological activities and mechanisms of action of cucurbitacin B (CucB) was reviewed. Studies showed that CucB possessed significant antitumor effects. It was found to regulate multiple signaling pathways, including JAK2/STAT3, PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK, and ferroptosis, thereby effectively inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of various tumor cells (such as those from liver, lung, breast, and gastrointestinal cancers) and inducing cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy. In terms of anti-inflammatory effects, CucB could inhibit the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and downregulate key pathways like NF-êB, thus alleviating tissue damage in multiple inflammatory models. Furthermore, CucB demonstrated hepatoprotective activity and was shown to ameliorate liver fibrosis through modulating oxidative stress, suppressing inflammatory responses, and regulating axes such as SIRT1/IGFBPrP1/TGF-â; 1. Its potential in alleviating psoriasis was also supported by research, with mechanisms involving the inhibition of pathways such as cGAS-STING and JAK-STAT. Other effects of CucB, including its role in regulating autophagy, suppressing leukemia and osteosarcoma, protecting vascular endothelium, and exhibiting potential neurotoxicity, were also summarized.

Key words: cucurbitacin B(CucB), pharmacological activities, mechanism of action