Natural Anticancer Agents: Their Therapeutic Potential, Challenges and Promising Outcomes

Abstract

Cancer, the second leading cause of death worldwide, is a major health problem. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery are current treatments for cancer. Most anticancer drugs have severe toxic effects and are required to be administered in cycles to reduce toxicity and prevent resistance. Plant-based drugs have shown a potential for treatment of cancer, and various plant secondary metabolites have shown promising antitumor activity against several cancer cell lines, such as leukemia, colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer. Vincristine, etoposide, topotecan and paclitaxel, which are of natural origin, are successfully used in clinical practice, and this has generated interest in natural compounds as anticancer agents. Some phytoconstituents like curcumin, piperine, allicin, quercetin and resveratrol have been extensively researched and reviewed. In the current study, we have reviewed several plants like Athyrium hohenackerianum, Aristolochia baetica, Boswellia serrata, Panax ginseng, Berberis vulgaris, Tanacetum parthenium, Glycine max, Combretum fragrans, Persea americana, Raphanus sativus, Camellia sinensis, and Nigella sativa for their source, key phytoconstituents, and anticancer activity along with their toxicity profile. Few phytoconstituents like boswellic acid, sulforaphane and ginsenoside showed excellent anticancer activity compared to standard drugs and are potential clinical candidates.

Optimizing combination therapy in prostate cancer: mechanistic insights into the synergistic effects of Paclitaxel and Sulforaphane-induced apoptosis

“…Although boswellic acid, sulforaphane, and ginsenoside have demonstrated remarkable anticancer activity and are being considered potential clinical candidates [ 25 ], it is worth noting that there are currently around 10,000 active clinical trials in the United States investigating combination therapies for a range of conditions, including cancer, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders, and neurological disorders.…”

Association of Drinking Herbal Tea with Activities of Daily Living among Elderly: A Latent Class Analysis

“…The RCT study by Hamidian et al showed that regular ginseng supplementation might enhance physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being in breast cancer patients [ 31 ]. The review by Tauro et al also pointed out that ginsenosides exhibit excellent anticancer activity, potentially serving as promising clinical candidates for cancer treatment [ 10 ]. Based on the Shanghai Women’s Health prospective cohort study [ 32 ], regular ginseng use was associated with an 8% lower risk of all-cause mortality, and a significant dose-response association was observed between the duration of ginseng use and total mortality.…”

“…For example, Renshen (Panax ginseng), Gouqizi (Lycium barbarum), and Danggui (Angelica sinensis) are such Chinese herbal medicines. There are many studies on them to explore their health effects and mechanisms [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. However, few of these studies focused on populations, especially those conducted in long-term follow-up cohorts.…”

Synergistic Effects of Paclitaxel and Sulforaphane in Prostate Cancer Treatment: Mechanistic Insights for Optimizing Combination Therapy

“…Although boswellic acid, sulforaphane, and ginsenoside have demonstrated remarkable anticancer activity and are being considered potential clinical candidates [24], it is worth noting that there are currently around 10,000 active clinical trials in the United States investigating combination therapies for a range of conditions, including cancer, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders, and neurological disorders.…”