Natural flora and anticancer regime: milestones and roadmap

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

• Cancer research faces challenges due to incomplete understanding of molecular signaling pathways and therapeutic targets.
• Synthetic anticancer drugs often exhibit significant side effects, necessitating exploration of alternative treatments.
• Advances in biotechnology reveal new carcinogenic agents, increasing the demand for novel anticancer drug discovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review molecular mediators involved in cancer development.
• To compile and assess plant-derived anticancer agents, including their clinical status.
• To investigate the anticancer potential of marine flora, particularly algae.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of molecular cancer mediators.
• Compilation and analysis of studies on plant-derived anticancer compounds.
• Review of research on marine algae with anticancer properties.

Main Results:

• Plant-derived compounds show significant anticancer activity against known molecular targets.
• Marine algae represent a promising source of novel anticancer pharmaceutical agents.
• Understanding molecular signaling is crucial for developing effective cancer therapies.

Conclusions:

• Natural compounds, especially from marine algae, offer a viable alternative to synthetic drugs for cancer treatment.
• Further research into molecular mediators and natural products can lead to improved cancer therapies.
• Marine flora holds untapped potential for developing new anticancer drugs.