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Natural products as multidrug resistance modulators in cancer

Amit Kumar1, Vikas Jaitak1

  • 1Laboratory of Natural Products, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Mansa Road, Bathinda, 151001, India.

European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
|May 20, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Natural products offer a promising avenue to overcome cancer multidrug resistance (MDR). This study explores flavonoids, alkaloids, and other compounds as potential MDR modulators, seeking safer alternatives to current chemotherapy treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

  • Cancer remains a leading global cause of death, with multidrug resistance (MDR) significantly hindering effective chemotherapy.
  • Overexpressed membrane drug transporters, such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB1), MRP1/ABCC1, MRP2, and BCRP/ABCG2, are key drivers of MDR in cancer.
  • Existing MDR modulators often cause side effects, highlighting the need for novel and safer therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review natural products as potential modulators of cancer multidrug resistance.
  • To identify promising lead compounds from various natural product classes for MDR reversal.
  • To discuss the potential of natural products as safer alternatives to conventional MDR therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of scientific literature on natural products and their MDR modulatory activity.
  • Categorization of natural products into classes: flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and coumarins.
  • Analysis of natural products sourced from plants, marine organisms, and microorganisms.

Main Results:

  • Various classes of natural products, including flavonoids and alkaloids, demonstrate significant potential as MDR modulators.
  • Specific compounds like the bisbenzyl isoquinoline alkaloid tetrandrine show promising MDR reversal activity and are under clinical investigation.
  • Natural products offer a diverse chemical scaffold for developing novel anticancer agents with reduced side effects.

Conclusions:

  • Natural products represent a valuable resource for discovering novel MDR modulators and lead compounds in cancer therapy.
  • Compounds like tetrandrine are advancing to clinical trials, indicating the therapeutic potential of natural products.
  • Further research into natural products could lead to safer and more effective treatments for multidrug-resistant cancers.
Keywords:
ABC transportersCancerMultidrug resistanceMultidrug resistance modulatorsNatural products

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