REVIEW ON MEDICINAL PLANTS AS POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CANCER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
Adel Abdel-Moneim* and Alaa Magdy
ABSTRACT
Cancer is a major public health problem in all the developed and undeveloped countries and it is considered the
second disease that causes death after cardiovascular diseases in the world. Nowadays, no absolute preventative
and curable agent has been found for cancer. The current cancer treatments such as; surgery, chemotherapy,
radiation, immunotherapy, hormone therapy and gene therapy etc., showed adverse effects such as; nausea,
vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, hair loss, decreased blood cell and platelet, liver and kidney failure and
decreased immune response. The high mortality and the increasing incidence of certain cancers justify a growing
interest for the identification of new pharmacological agents efficient in cancer prevention and treatment.
Moreover, several drugs in cancer care originated from natural products. The mechanism of action of antitumor
plants could be; anti-oxidative, anti-proliferative, anti-differentiation, anti-apoptosis effects, cell cycle arrest and
inhibition of angiogenic and proliferation process. However, there is a continuing need for development of new
potential novel anticancer drugs and chemotherapy strategies, by methodical and scientific exploration of natural
products that give more efficiency, less toxicity and cost effective. The present study reviews the most recent
information in the field of natural anticancer compounds and the phytochemical components and their mode of
action in cancer treatment and prevention.
Keywords: Tumors, current medications, anticancer plants, mode of action, cancer prevention and treatments.
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