Traditionally Used Medicinal Plants with Anticancer Effect: A Review

Abstract

Cancer is the second major cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. It is a group of many closely related diseases. Several synthetic drugs are used to cure this disease but they have their toxicity and hence a number of research activities is going on to investigate the natural plant derived chemotherapeutic agents. More than 50% of modern drugs in clinical use are of natural agents. In recent years owing to the concern of side effects people prefer more and more use of natural plant products for cancer. For these reasons, World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of traditional medicines which are efficacious and less toxic compared with conventional agents. The basic aim of this review is to highlight on the potential of newly discovered anticancer compounds from traditional medicinal plants to be used as leads for anticancer drug development. 85 different plant sources have been listed in the present review along with the phytoconstituents present in these plants possessing anticancer potential. The present paper is a comprehensive review of different literature sources. It will be helpful to explore the medicinal value of the herbal plants against the cancer and for the new drug discovery from them for the researchers and scientists around the world.

Are chemical compounds in medical mushrooms potent against colorectal cancer carcinogenesis and antimicrobial growth?

“…Besides, hot water efficiently penetrates inside the intracellular matrix of the cell walls Fig. 4 Schizophyllan polysaccharide [92,103]. Trametes spp.…”

“…After cardiovascular diseases, cancer is the second main cause of death [ 4 ]. Localized tumors with limited growth are medically described to be of a benign characteristic while those that spread to other parts of the body and are aggressive on healthy tissues are said to be metastasized and of a malignant characteristic [ 4 , 5 ]. Colorectal cancer is largely associated with cancer-related deaths among western cultures and is currently ranked 3rd [ 6 ].…”

“…There still exists a dire need to develop new, affordable, and effective anticancer drugs [ 4 ]. More than 35,000 plant species have been evaluated for their medical significance and this has resulted in the discovery and development of anticancer medicines such as Indicine–N-oxide, Vinblastine, Taxol, Etoposide, Vincristine, Camptothecin, analogues, and other numerous drugs [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Modulatory Properties of Aloe secundiflora’s Methanolic Extracts on Targeted Genes in Colorectal Cancer Management

“…In the developed world, colon cancer is currently the third leading cause of cancerrelated fatalities [1]. In general, cancer is the second leading cause of death, behind cardiovascular disorders [2]. The pathophysiology of colon tumors is very complex and poorly understood.…”

The Impact of Palliative Care on Mitigating Pain and Its Associated Effects in Determining Quality of Life among Colon Cancer Outpatients

“…Cancer is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease [1]. Localized tumors with limited growth are classified as benign, whereas those that spread to other parts of the body and are aggressive on healthy tissues are classified as metastasized and malignant [1,2]. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality and morbidity in Western countries [3].…”