Abstract
Cancer cells produce high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that lead to a state of increased basal oxidative stress. Since this state of oxidative stress makes cancer cells vulnerable to agents that further augment ROS levels, the use of pro-oxidant agents is emerging as an exciting strategy to selectively target tumor cells. Natural products have provided a significant contribution to the development of several drugs currently used in cancer chemotherapy. Although many natural products are known to affect the redox state of the cell, most studies on these compounds have focused on their antioxidant activity instead of on their pro-oxidant properties. This article provides an overview of natural products with pro-oxidant and anticancer activities, with special focus on plant secondary metabolites, and discusses their possible use as cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
Keywords: Alkaloids, cancer, hydrogen peroxide, phenolic compounds, plant secondary metabolites, prooxidant, reactive oxygen species, terpenoids, Anticancer Agents, oxidative stress, Natural products
Current Drug Targets
Title:Pro-Oxidant Natural Products as Anticancer Agents
Volume: 13 Issue: 8
Author(s): Carmen Martin-Cordero, Antonio Jose Leon-Gonzalez, Jose Manuel Calderon-Montano, Estefania Burgos-Moron and Miguel Lopez-Lazaro
Affiliation:
Keywords: Alkaloids, cancer, hydrogen peroxide, phenolic compounds, plant secondary metabolites, prooxidant, reactive oxygen species, terpenoids, Anticancer Agents, oxidative stress, Natural products
Abstract: Cancer cells produce high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that lead to a state of increased basal oxidative stress. Since this state of oxidative stress makes cancer cells vulnerable to agents that further augment ROS levels, the use of pro-oxidant agents is emerging as an exciting strategy to selectively target tumor cells. Natural products have provided a significant contribution to the development of several drugs currently used in cancer chemotherapy. Although many natural products are known to affect the redox state of the cell, most studies on these compounds have focused on their antioxidant activity instead of on their pro-oxidant properties. This article provides an overview of natural products with pro-oxidant and anticancer activities, with special focus on plant secondary metabolites, and discusses their possible use as cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
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Cite this article as:
Martin-Cordero Carmen, Jose Leon-Gonzalez Antonio, Manuel Calderon-Montano Jose, Burgos-Moron Estefania and Lopez-Lazaro Miguel, Pro-Oxidant Natural Products as Anticancer Agents, Current Drug Targets 2012; 13 (8) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012802009044
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012802009044 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
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