BAX and cancer: Oxymatrine (Figure 5), derived from Sophora flavescens Aiton, significantly increases p53 and Bax expression and decreases Bcl-2 expression dose-dependently, as evidenced by A Western blot assay, in osteosarcoma cancer cells via dephosphorylation of PI3K and Akt in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway (117).