Plants vs. Cancer: A Review on Natural Phytochemicals in Preventing and Treating Cancers and Their Druggability

Hu      Wang; Tin      Oo Khor; Limin      Shu; Zheng-Yuan      Su; Francisco      Fuentes; Jong-Hun      Lee; Ah-Ng      Tony Kong

doi:10.2174/187152012803833026

Abstract

Cancer remains to be one of the leading causes of death in the United States and around the world. The advent of modern drug-targeted therapies has undeniably improved cancer patients' cares. However, advanced metastasized cancer remains untreatable. Hence, continued searching for a safer and more effective chemoprevention and treatment is clearly needed for the improvement of the efficiency and to lower the treatment cost for cancer care. Cancer chemoprevention with natural phytochemical compounds is an emerging strategy to prevent, impede, delay, or cure cancer. This review summarizes the latest research in cancer chemoprevention and treatment using the bioactive components from natural plants. Relevant molecular mechanisms involved in the pharmacological effects of these phytochemicals are discussed. Pharmaceutical developmental challenges and opportunities in bringing the phytochemicals into the market are also explored. The authors wish to expand this research area not only for their scientific soundness, but also for their potential druggability.

Keywords: Anti-cancer, Chemoprevention, Druggability, Mechanism, Natural compounds, Pathway, Phytochemical, breast cancer, colon cancer, human lung cancer