The associated mechanisms include inactivation of protein kinase B (PKB), activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways, intracellular Ca2+ release, etc. Ursolic acid also exhibits therapeutic potential in the treatment of hormone refractory and androgen-sensitive prostate cancer through induction of cancer cell apoptosis via activation of JNK-induced Bcl-2 phosphorylation and degradation [51]. This evidence concerns the gene MAPK8 and cancer.