ISSN: 2576-7771
Authors: Panja A* and Paul S
Plant-based medicines have been utilized since ancient times to treat a variety of human and animal illnesses one such disease is cancer. Cancer is a multistage process that involves the uncontrolled and sudden division of cells and is one of the primary causes of death. Over the past few years, plant secondary metabolites have gained substantial attention for their potential role in cancer treatment and cure. These metabolites, due to their diverse chemical structures and biological activities have shown to have potential in the treatment of cancer with minimal side effects. These bioactive compounds are produced by plants as a defense mechanism against herbivores and pathogens, and they have been found to exhibit anti-cancer properties in vitro and in vivo. They demonstrate their anticancer activities by eliminating free radicals, triggering apoptosis, and blocking angiogenesis in cancer cells. Over the years, a number of plant-derived compounds have demonstrated potential anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo. This mini-review seeks to offer an overview of current research on plant secondary metabolites and their potential use in cancer therapy. The review discusses the many types of plant secondary metabolites that have been studied for their anti-cancer activities, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenols. The review also examines these metabolite's methods of action, which include apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and angiogenesis suppression. Overall, plant secondary metabolites hold considerable promise as a source of new anti-cancer drugs, but more study is needed to fully realize their potential.
Keywords: Anticancer; Plant Secondary Metabolites; Terpenenoid; Phenolic Compounds
