In Search of Panacea—Review of Recent Studies Concerning Nature-Derived Anticancer Agents

Abstract

Cancers are one of the leading causes of deaths affecting millions of people around the world, therefore they are currently a major public health problem. The treatment of cancer is based on surgical resection, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy, much of which is often insufficient and cause serious, burdensome and undesirable side effects. For many years, assorted secondary metabolites derived from plants have been used as antitumor agents. Recently, researchers have discovered a large number of new natural substances which can effectively interfere with cancer cells’ metabolism. The most famous groups of these compounds are topoisomerase and mitotic inhibitors. The aim of the latest research is to characterize natural compounds found in many common foods, especially by means of their abilities to regulate cell cycle, growth and differentiation, as well as epigenetic modulation. In this paper, we focus on a review of recent discoveries regarding nature-derived anticancer agents.

The nanocomposites designs of phytomolecules from medicinal and aromatic plants: promising anticancer-antiviral applications

“…In particular, recent evidences about the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis emphasize the significance of genetic and epigenetic changes as an significant subject in cancer prevention and treatment. The significant effect of natural compounds on epigenome has been notified in relation to carcinogenesis-related processes such as histone modifications (methylation, acetylation and phosphorylation) associated with changes in chromatin structure as well as DNA methylation and non-encoding microRNA expression [ 90 ]. Consequently, these modifications have a wide impact on the expression of target genes, among others, oncogenes and tumor suppression genes, thereby affecting cancer initiation or progression.…”

“… I and II topoisomerase inhibitors Camptothecin, Topotecan, Irinotecan, Etoposide Inducers of xenobiotic metabolism Allyl sulfide, Indole-3-carbinol, Phenethyl isothiocyanate, Sulforaphane, Iberin Terpenes Coumarins. Polyphenols Carnosol, Resveratrol, 6-gingerol, Honokiol, Flavonoids [ 90 ]. …”

Chemotherapy and Physical Therapeutics Modulate Antigens on Cancer Cells

“…For this reason, the high toxicity of the generation of P-gp inhibitors encourages the study of natural products that can be used as MDR modulators. Recent studies indicate that natural products, such as vegetables, fruits and their components (especially polyphenols or flavonoids), can be used as MDR modulators ( 106 , 107 ).…”

Curcumin Loaded Nanocarriers with Varying Charges Augmented with Electroporation Designed for Colon Cancer Therapy

“…Thus, the treatment optimization and new therapeutic approaches are intensively sought by researchers. Recently, natural compounds have been of interest as potential anticancer drugs, including colon cancer [5,6]. The available data highlight curcumin (diferuloylmethane, curcuma longa) as a promising natural chemotherapeutic that can suppress initiation, promotion, and progression of colon carcinogenesis [5,[7][8][9][10][11].…”