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Medicinal Plants for Glioblastoma Treatment
Shreeja Datta1, Ritika Luthra1, Navneeta Bharadvaja1
1Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Main Bawana Road, Delhi-110042, India.
Abstract:
Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, demonstrates the least life expectancy among all brain cancers. Because of the regulation of diverse signaling pathways in cancers, the chemotherapeutic approaches used to suppress their multiplication and spread are restricted. Sensitivity towards chemotherapeutic agents has been developed because of the pathological and drug-evading abilities of these diverse mechanisms. As a result, the identification and exploration of strategies or treatments, which can overcome such refractory obstacles to improve glioblastoma response to treatment as well as recovery, is essential. Medicinal herbs contain a wide variety of bioactive compounds, which could trigger aggressive brain cancers, regulate their anti-cancer mechanisms and immune responses to assist in cancer elimination, and cause cell death. Numerous tumor-causing proteins, which facilitate invasion as well as metastasis of cancer, tolerance of chemotherapies, and angiogenesis, are also inhibited by these phytochemicals. Such herbs remain valuable for glioblastoma prevention and its incidence by effectively being used as anti-glioma therapies. This review thus presents the latest findings on medicinal plants using which the extracts or bioactive components are being used against glioblastoma, their mechanism of functioning, pharmacological description, and recent clinical studies conducted on them.
Insights
Medicinal herbs show promise in fighting glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Their bioactive compounds may overcome treatment resistance and improve patient outcomes by targeting cancer mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Ethnobotany
Background:
- Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with poor prognosis.
- Current chemotherapies are often ineffective due to cancer's adaptive resistance mechanisms.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are crucial for improving glioblastoma treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the latest findings on medicinal plants and their components against glioblastoma.
- To explore the mechanisms of action of these natural compounds.
- To summarize recent clinical studies involving medicinal herbs in glioblastoma treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific databases.
- Analysis of studies on medicinal plant extracts and bioactive compounds.
- Examination of research on anti-glioma mechanisms and clinical trials.
Main Results:
- Medicinal herbs contain phytochemicals with anti-cancer properties.
- These compounds can inhibit tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis.
- Natural compounds may overcome chemoresistance and modulate immune responses.
Conclusions:
- Medicinal plants offer a valuable resource for developing new glioblastoma therapies.
- Further research and clinical studies are warranted to validate their efficacy.
- Phytochemicals hold potential for glioblastoma prevention and treatment.
