Medicinal Plants from Brazilian Cerrado: Antioxidant and Anticancer Potential and Protection against Chemotherapy Toxicity

Abstract

The use of natural antioxidants in cancer therapy has increased: first, due to the potential of natural antioxidants to kill tumour cells and second, because of their capacity to protect healthy cells from the damage caused by chemotherapy. This review article discusses the antioxidant properties of extracts obtained from medicinal plants from the Brazilian Cerrado and the cell death profile induced by each of these extracts in malignant cells. Next, we describe the capacity of other medicinal plants from the Cerrado to protect against chemotherapy-induced cell toxicity. Finally, we focus on recent insights into the cell death profile induced by extracts from Cerrado plants and perspectives for future therapeutic approaches.

Anticancer Activity of Propolis and Its Compounds

“…Natural substances and their derivatives are used as chemotherapeutic agents, including vincristine, vinblastine, and taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel). Moreover, natural compounds may protect healthy cells from the damage caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and limit the more severe effects of anticancer therapy [ 133 ].…”

Plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos na clínica odontológica: uma revisão de literatura

“…Segundo De Diffoni de Carvalho et. al (2019), as plantas do cerrado apresentam atividade antioxidante, anticancerígena e protetoras contra toxicidade química, indicando o potencial destas para a identificação de competentes compostos farmacológicos; muitos extratos de ervas ou plantas tiveram a competência de suas propriedades comprovadas por meio de estudos in vitro e in vivo (Kumar & Navaratnam, 2013).…”

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“…Furthermore, as compared to medications made synthetically, therapeutic compounds derived from medicinal plants are generally safe and cost-effective. As a result, there is a pressing need to concentrate on medications made from natural plants, which are affordable, safe, and effective [3]. Plants generate various secondary metabolites, which are a major source of many pharmacological medicines with hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, nephroprotective, anti-asthmatic, antipyretic, analgesic, and anticancer effects [4].…”

“…Datura metel L. is an important therapeutically active genus of family Solanaceae. Datura metel, also known as Indian Thornapple, Hindu Datura, [3] or Metel in Europe and Devil's Trumpet or Angel's Trumpet in the United States, is a shrub-like annual (zones 5-7) or short-lived, shrubby perennial (zones 8 -10). Datura metel has been naturalized in all the world's warmer climates, particularly in India, where it is known by the old Sanskrit-derived Hindi name (Dhatra), from which the genus name Datura is derived.…”