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Anticancer activity of essential oils: a review
Yashika Bhalla1, Vinay Kumar Gupta, Vikas Jaitak
1Centre for Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, (Pb), 151001, India.
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
|June 15, 2013
Summary
Natural compounds from essential oils found in herbs and plants show promise in cancer prevention and treatment. These compounds exhibit anticancer properties through various molecular mechanisms, offering potential therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Phytochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Natural essential oil constituents are increasingly recognized for their roles in cancer prevention and treatment.
- Aromatic herbs and dietary plants are rich sources of diverse chemopreventive compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the structural categories of natural essential oil constituents.
- To summarize the molecular anticancer mechanisms of these constituents.
- To highlight recent literature on their chemopreventive properties.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent scientific publications.
- Categorization of essential oil constituents based on chemical structure.
- Analysis of documented molecular anticancer mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Essential oil constituents encompass monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, oxygenated derivatives, and phenolics.
- Mechanisms include antioxidant, antimutagenic, antiproliferative effects, immune enhancement, and detoxification.
- Synergistic effects and modulation of multidrug resistance are also key mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Natural essential oil constituents possess significant anticancer potential.
- Understanding their structural diversity and molecular mechanisms is crucial for therapeutic development.
- Further research into these compounds may lead to novel cancer prevention and treatment strategies.
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