Growing evidence showed that tanshinone IIA induces apoptosis in human colon cancer Colo 205 cells through the downregulation of ErbB-2 (Erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2) protein expression and the upregulation of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and caspase-3, a key player in regulating apoptosis [18]. Here, TNF is linked to malignant colon neoplasm.