The Therapeutic Potential of Common Herbal and Nano-Based Herbal Formulations against Ovarian Cancer: New Insight into the Current Evidence

Abstract

Ovarian cancer (OCa) is characterized as one of the common reasons for cancer-associated death in women globally. This gynecological disorder is chiefly named the “silent killer” due to lacking an association between disease manifestations in the early stages and OCa. Because of the disease recurrence and resistance to common therapies, discovering an effective therapeutic way against the disease is a challenge. According to documents, some popular herbal formulations, such as curcumin, quercetin, and resveratrol, can serve as an anti-cancer agent through different mechanisms. However, these herbal products may be accompanied by some pharmacological limitations, such as poor bioavailability, instability, and weak water solubility. On the contrary, using nano-based material, e.g., nanoparticles (NPs), micelles, liposomes, can significantly solve these limitations. Therefore, in the present study, we will summarize the anti-cancer aspects of these herbal and-nano-based herbal formulations with a focus on their mechanisms against OCa.

Molecular mechanisms of action and chemosensitization of tumor cells in ovarian cancer by phytochemicals: A narrative review on pre‐clinical and clinical studies

“…The development of known targeted drug strategies for ovarian tumor cells has been made possible by nanotechnology, thereby preventing damage to healthy tissues. Biodegradable and biocompatible lipid‐ and polymer‐based nanoparticles, such as liposomes, polymeric micelles, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, and protein nanoparticles, are the most utilized in cancer therapy (Rezaei‐Tazangi et al, 2021).…”

“…Despite advances in available therapies for ovarian carcinoma, its treatment is restricted to cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy with platinum derivatives (cisplatin and carboplatin) and taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) that, despite being the first choices, pose the greatest barrier to its effectiveness and the development of resistance after long‐term chemotherapy (Radu et al, 2021). This resistance to chemotherapy is a result of molecular changes such as increased oxidative stress (reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species), reduced apoptosis, endogenous factors such as IL‐1, IL‐6, and TNF, and genetic changes such as mutations in tumor suppressor genes PTEN, BRCA1, BRCA2, and p53 in the cancer ovarian cells that contribute to a lower therapeutic response to platinum derivatives and taxanes, increasing the challenge in the treatment strategy aims to improve the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients (Grunewald & Ledermann, 2017; Rezaei‐Tazangi et al, 2021).…”

New trends in diagnosing and treating ovarian cancer using nanotechnology

“… Three basic theories concerning the onset of OC are based on the stimulation of the ovarian surface epithelium by hormone receptors, the enhanced production of pro-inflammatory substances during continuous ovulation, and malignant cells arising from the fallopian tube. IL-8, Interleukin-8; CCL2/MCP-1, Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; CCL5/RANTES, CC Chemokine Ligand-5 ( Rezaei-Tazangi et al, 2021 ). …”

Mesenchymal stem cells and ovarian cancer: Is there promising news?

“…Ovarian cancer (OC) is characterized as a gynecological heterogeneous complex malignancy with a high death rate, poor prognosis, and late‐stage presentation 1,2 . Based on the origin, OC is divided into three main subgroups, comprising sex cord‐stromal, germ cell, and epithelial (most common) 3 .…”

“…Distant metastases are uncommon but can occur in the lungs, spleen, adrenal glands, pleura, and liver 11 . The present remedies proposed for OC patients are surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy; however, these approaches are able to cause diverse side effects without suitable efficacy 1,12 . Ergo, discovering an effective therapeutic method with low harmful effects on normal cells is essential.…”