Plant sources of anti-cancer agents explained

Plant sources of anti-cancer agents are plants, the derivatives of which have been shown to be usable for the treatment or prevention of cancer in humans.[1] [2]

Background

In the 1950s, scientists began systematically examining natural organisms as a source of useful anti-cancer substances.[1] It has been argued that "the use of natural products has been the single most successful strategy in the discovery of novel medicines".[3]

Plants need to defend themselves from attack by micro-organisms, in particular fungi, and they do this by producing anti-fungal chemicals that are toxic to fungi. Because fungal and human cells are similar at a biochemical level it is often the case that chemical compounds intended for plant defence have an inhibitory effect on human cells, including human cancer cells.[4] Those plant chemicals that are selectively more toxic to cancer cells than normal cells have been discovered in screening programs and developed as chemotherapy drugs[5]

Research and development process

Some plants that indicate potential as an anticancer agent in laboratory-based in vitro research  - for example, Typhonium flagelliforme, and Murraya koenigii[6] are currently being studied. There can be many years between promising laboratory work and the availability of an effective anti-cancer drug: Monroe Eliot Wall discovered anti-cancer properties in Camptotheca in 1958, but it was not until 1996  - after further research and rounds of clinical trials  - that topotecan, a synthetic derivative of a chemical in the plant, was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Plants

Camptotheca acuminataThe cancer treatment drug topotecan is a synthetic chemical compound similar in chemical structure to camptothecin which is found in extracts of Camptotheca (happy tree).[7]
Catharanthus roseusVinca alkaloids were originally manufactured by extracting them from Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar Periwinkle).[1]
Podophyllum spp.Two chemotherapy drugs, etoposide and teniposide, are synthetic chemical compounds similar in chemical structure to the toxin podophyllotoxin which is found in Podophyllum peltatum (May Apple).[1]
Taxus brevifoliaChemicals extracted from clippings of Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) have been used as the basis for two chemotherapy drugs, docetaxel and paclitaxel.[8]
Euphorbia peplusContains ingenol mebutate (Picato) which is used to treat skin cancer[9]
Maytenus ovatusTrastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla) is an antibody conjugated to a synthetic derivative of the cytotoxic principle of the Ethiopian plant Maytenus ovatus. It used to treat breast cancer.[10]

Mappia foetida

Some of the research has been showed that it has an effective anticancer property against breast cancer https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4160808/

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.05.011 . Plants as a source of anti-cancer agents . 2005 . Cragg . Gordon M. . Newman . David J. . Journal of Ethnopharmacology . 100 . 72–9 . 16009521 . 1–2 . 2019-09-16 . 2019-08-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190816160735/https://zenodo.org/record/1259111 . live .
  2. 10.3329/bjp.v1i2.486 . Anticancer agents from medicinal plants . 2008 . Shoeb . Mohammad . Bangladesh Journal of Pharmacology . 1 . 2. free .
  3. 10.1016/S0165-6147(02)02007-2. Functional versus chemical diversity: Is biodiversity important for drug discovery?. 2002. Tulp. Martin. Bohlin. Lars. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. 23. 5. 225–31. 12008000.
  4. 88926 . 10515904 . 12 . Antifungal activities of antineoplastic agents: Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system to study drug action . 1999 . Clin. Microbiol. Rev. . 583–611 . Cardenas . ME . Cruz . MC. Maurizio Del Poeta . Del Poeta . M . Chung . N . Perfect . JR . Heitman . J. 4 . 10.1128/CMR.12.4.583 .
  5. Web site: Discovery of Camptothecin and Taxol - National Historic Chemical Landmark . 2015-06-20 . 2015-06-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150620155804/http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/camptothecintaxol.html . live .
  6. 10.3390/molecules16087155 . The Growth Suppressing Effects of Girinimbine on Hepg2 Involve Induction of Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest . 2011 . Syam . Suvitha . Abdul . Ahmad Bustamam . Sukari . Mohd. Aspollah . Mohan . Syam . Abdelwahab . Siddig Ibrahim . Wah . Tang Sook . Molecules . 16 . 8 . 7155–70 . 21862957. 6264672 . free .
  7. Web site: Topotecan (NSC 609699). National Cancer Institute. August 27, 2013. May 27, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100527192600/http://dtp.nci.nih.gov/timeline/noflash/success_stories/s14_topotecan.htm. live.
  8. Web site: Cancer Research UK. Yew clippings to make chemotherapy. August 27, 2013. September 8, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220908005830/https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer. live.
  9. Book: 25561218. 2015. Zarchi. K. Actinic Keratosis. 46. 136–42. Jemec. G. B.. 10.1159/000366549. Ingenol Mebutate: From Common Weed to Cancer Cure. Current Problems in Dermatology. 978-3-318-02762-4.
  10. 4206612. 2014. Peddi. P. F.. Ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer: Latest evidence and clinical potential. Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology. 6. 5. 202–209. Hurvitz. S. A.. 10.1177/1758834014539183. 25342987.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Plant sources of anti-cancer agents".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.