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Cancer prevention by natural compounds
Hiroyuki Tsuda1, Yutaka Ohshima, Hiroshi Nomoto
1Department of Molecular Toxicology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Japan. htsuda@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics
|October 23, 2004
Summary
Natural compounds show promise for cancer chemoprevention in high-risk individuals. These agents, derived from plants and animals, offer practical advantages and multiple mechanisms of action for cancer prevention.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Natural Products Chemistry
Background:
- Growing interest in cancer chemoprevention for high-risk populations.
- Natural compounds offer advantages in availability, oral administration, and regulatory approval.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review naturally occurring compounds with cancer chemopreventive potential.
- To discuss their structures, sources, and mechanisms of action based on in vivo studies.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of epidemiological and experimental studies.
- Focus on in vivo studies of natural compounds for cancer chemoprevention.
Main Results:
- Identified phytochemicals (e.g., flavonoids, curcumins, d-limonene) and animal-derived compounds (e.g., unsaturated fatty acids, lactoferrin).
- Chemopreventive mechanisms include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-enhancing, and anti-hormone effects.
- Modulation of drug metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, proliferation, and angiogenesis are key actions.
Conclusions:
- Natural compounds possess diverse mechanisms beneficial for cancer chemoprevention.
- Their mild, combined actions make them suitable for human application in cancer prevention strategies.