Rhein can significantly inhibit the activations of PI3K/Akt, p-ERK, NF-κB and COX-2 pathways [48], and significantly suppress the phosphorylation of ERK, p38 MAPK and activation of NF-κB in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells [49]. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.