Can Compounds of Natural Origin Be Important in Chemoprevention? Anticancer Properties of Quercetin, Resveratrol, and Curcumin—A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Malignant tumors are the second most common cause of death worldwide. More attention is being paid to the link between the body’s impaired oxidoreductive balance and cancer incidence. Much attention is being paid to polyphenols derived from plants, as one of their properties is an antioxidant character: the ability to eliminate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, chelate specific metal ions, modulate signaling pathways affecting inflammation, and raise the level and activity of antioxidant enzymes while lowering those with oxidative effects. The following three compounds, resveratrol, quercetin, and curcumin, are polyphenols modulating multiple molecular targets, or increasing pro-apoptotic protein expression levels and decreasing anti-apoptotic protein expression levels. Experiments conducted in vitro and in vivo on animals and humans suggest using them as chemopreventive agents based on antioxidant properties. The advantage of these natural polyphenols is low toxicity and weak adverse effects at higher doses. However, the compounds discussed are characterized by low bioavailability and solubility, which may make achieving the blood concentrations needed for the desired effect challenging. The solution may lie in derivatives of naturally occurring polyphenols subjected to structural modifications that enhance their beneficial effects or work on implementing new ways of delivering antioxidants that improve their solubility and bioavailability.

Resveratrol: A Review on the Biological Activity and Applications

“…In the concentration spectrum of 20 µM and higher, it blocked the S-phase and caused apoptosis in the T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), insufficient in functional p53 and p16 [31]. Other studies had the same results in human histiocytic lymphoma cells, indicating that RSV is an important cell cycle blocker in addition to being a chemopreventive agent [27,32].…”

“…Chemoprevention by non-toxic agents, such as RSV, has been demonstrated to provide protection against various cancer types. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms responsible for anti-tumorigenic or chemopreventive actions of this phytochemical continue to be mostly unidentified [26,27].…”

“…Besides its chemopreventive action, it also induces apoptotic cell death in human leukemia cells, exhibiting specific involvement of the cluster of differentiation (CD)95-CD95L system in the antitumor activity of RSV and emphasizing the chemotherapeutic ability of this natural compound [28]. It is a significant inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase and DNA synthesis in mammalian cells, with possible utilizations as an antiproliferative and chemopreventive factor [27,29].…”

“…Pancreatic tumor, one of the most frequent causes of cancer-connected mortality, has a weak outcome, brief survival rate, and resistance to therapy. Studies have shown that RSV has chemopreventive and treatment action in pancreatic cancer: it reduces the propagation of pancreatic cancer cells; generates apoptosis and cell cycle arrest; prevents metastasis and infiltration of pancreatic cancer cells; obstructs the reproduction and viability of tumor stem cells; and increases the chemoradiosensitization of cancer cells [27,73].…”

“…Relevant information about the influence of RSV on human bladder carcinoma cells discloses that its effects are dose-dependent and may encourage the creation of impending chemoprevention approaches. Elevated doses of RSV produce apoptosis of bladder tumor cells, while reduced dosage provides protection by regulating Bcl-2 protein during oxidative stress conditions [27,101].…”