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Cancer Chemotherapy via Natural Bioactive Compounds
Kalyani Pathak1, Manash P Pathak2, Riya Saikia1
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh - 786004, Assam, India.
Background:
Cancer-induced mortality is increasingly prevalent globally, which skyrocketed the necessity to discover new/novel, safe and effective anticancer drugs. Cancer is characterized by the continuous multiplication of cells in the human, which is unable to control. Scientific research is drawing its attention toward naturally-derived bioactive compounds as they have fewer side effects compared to the current synthetic drugs used for chemotherapy.
Objective:
Drugs isolated from natural sources and their role in the manipulation of epigenetic markers in cancer are discussed briefly in this review article.
Methods:
With advancing medicinal plant biotechnology and microbiology in the past century, several anticancer phytomedicines were developed. Modern pharmacopeia contains at least 25% herbal-based remedies, including clinically used anticancer drugs. These drugs mainly include the podophyllotoxin derivatives vinca alkaloids, curcumin, mistletoe plant extracts, taxanes, camptothecin, combretastatin, and colchicine artesunate, homoharringtonine, ellipticine, roscovitine, maytansine, tapsigargin,and bruceantin.
Results:
Compounds (psammaplin, didemnin, dolastin, ecteinascidin, and halichondrin) isolated from marine sources and animals such as microalgae, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, invertebrates. They have been evaluated for their anticancer activity on cells and experimental animal models and used chemotherapy.Drug-induced manipulation of epigenetic markers plays an important role in the treatment of cancer.
Conclusion:
The development of a new drug from isolated bioactive compounds of plant sources has been a feasible way to lower the toxicity and increase their effectiveness against cancer. Potential anticancer therapeutic leads obtained from various ethnomedicinal plants, foods, marine, and microorganisms are showing effective yet realistically safe pharmacological activity. This review will highlight important plant-based bioactive compounds like curcumin, stilbenes, terpenes, other polyphenolic phyto-compounds, and structurally related families that are used to prevent/ ameliorate cancer. However, a contribution from all possible fields of science is still a prerequisite for discovering safe and effective anticancer drugs.
Insights
Natural compounds offer a promising avenue for developing safer and more effective anticancer drugs. This review highlights plant- and marine-derived bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic benefits for cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Oncology
Background:
- Global cancer mortality necessitates novel, safe, and effective anticancer drugs.
- Naturally-derived bioactive compounds are explored for reduced side effects compared to synthetic chemotherapy.
- Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review drugs isolated from natural sources and their role in epigenetic marker manipulation in cancer.
- To highlight plant-based bioactive compounds for cancer prevention and amelioration.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on anticancer phytomedicines and marine-derived compounds.
- Discussion of compounds developed through medicinal plant biotechnology and microbiology.
- Identification of key natural products used in modern pharmacopeia.
Main Results:
- The modern pharmacopeia includes numerous herbal remedies and anticancer drugs derived from natural sources.
- Marine-derived compounds (e.g., psammaplin, didemnin) show evaluated anticancer activity.
- Drug-induced epigenetic marker manipulation is crucial in cancer treatment.
Conclusions:
- Developing anticancer drugs from natural sources is a feasible strategy to reduce toxicity and enhance efficacy.
- Ethnomedicinal plants, foods, marine organisms, and microorganisms yield potent and safe anticancer therapeutic leads.
- Further interdisciplinary scientific contributions are essential for discovering novel anticancer drugs.
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