Herbal therapeutics for cancer control: an overview

Cancer is said to be an uncontrolled cell proliferation or metastasis of abnormal cells in the body. Modern chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other antineoplastic regimens have limitation of multiple drug resistance (MDR) and high rate of cancer recurrence after initial chemotherapy treatments. Natural products (NPs) have been a historically rich source of biologically active compounds for the pharmaceutical industry. These natural products serve as rich sources of bioactive metabolites including alkaloids, phenol compounds, and monoterpenes. In addition to these, compounds such as vinblastine, vincristine, curcumin, Taxol, boswellic acid, and umbelliprenin and compounds such as quercetin, catechin, cucurbitacin, kaempferol, thymol, carvacrol, 1 and 1, 8-cineole, a-pinene, myrecene, and b-sitosterol have been reported for anticancer effects. These compounds have antioxidant properties, and inhibition of damage to DNA, cell cycle arrest (especially at the G2/M), induction of apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis in tumor cells, and its anticancer effects are well reported. Using natural products for the control and management of cancer is an assurance of a safe, cost effective and complete treatment for cancer with no significant physical side effects that crop up with other treatment options for cancer treatment.