A Review on Protease Inhibitors of Herbal Origin to Combat Malignancy

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Proteases are enzymes crucial for protein breakdown (proteolysis).
• These enzymes play significant roles in cancer growth, development, progression, and metastasis.
• Targeting proteases with inhibitors is a key strategy for novel anti-malignant drug discovery.

Approach:

• Investigating higher plants as a rich source of natural protease inhibitors.
• Evaluating the efficacy of herbal protease inhibitors against various malignancies.
• Assessing the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties of these natural agents.

Key Points:

• Natural protease inhibitors from plants exhibit potent activity against cancer progression.
• These herbal agents possess both cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties.
• Herbal protease inhibitors demonstrate inhibitory activity against relevant cancer-associated proteases.

Conclusions:

• Plant-derived protease inhibitors offer a safer alternative to synthetic antineoplastic agents.
• Further research is essential to develop next-generation anti-cancer drugs with minimal adverse reactions.
• Herbal agents represent a promising avenue for cancer prevention and treatment strategies.