Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Natural products and their role in cancer therapy

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Medical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper documented several natural products that have antineoplastic activities. Detailed descriptions of the mechanism of action of these products are given. Side effects of these natural products are also described. Based on these side effect profiles and their benefits, these natural products could be used as adjuvant cancer therapies. Traditional anticancer agents usually have debilitating side effects. These natural products would be of great benefit due to their anticancer activities. Additionally, some of these natural products can work proactively in preventing cancer formation with their chemopreventive properties. Incorporation into diet can be recommended after discussion with physician and other health care professionals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ACAT:

A-cholesterol acyltransferase

AE-BS:

B. scorzonerifolium extracted with acetone

CDDP:

cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)

CDK:

Cyclin-dependent kinase

CLU:

Clusterin

CYP:

Cytochrome P450

dD AVP:

Vasopressin derivative

EC:

(-)-Epicatechin

ECCs:

Esophageal cancer cells

ECG:

(-)-Epicatechin-3-gallate

EGC:

(-)-Epigallocatechin

EGCG:

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate

GADD153:

Growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible gene 153

IGF-1:

Insulin-like growth factor I

LLC:

Lewis lung carcinoma

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

NF-kappaB:

Nuclear factor kappa B

NK:

Natural killer

PCWE:

Polygonum cuspidatum water extract

Rh2:

Ginsenoside Rh2

TPA:

12-O-Tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

XIAP:

X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis

References

  1. Stiborova M, Breuer A, Aimova D, Stiborova-Rupertova M, Wiessler M, Frei E. DNA adduct formation by the anticancer drug ellipticine in rats determined by 32P postlabeling. Int J Cancer. 2003;107:885–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Siu D. Activity-dependent hepatocyte growth factor expression and its role in organogenesis and cancer growth suppression. Med Hypotheses. 2004;63:62–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Iizuka N, Miyamoto K, Okita K, Tangoku A, Hayashi H, Yosino S, Abe T, Morioka T, Hazama S, Oka M. Inhibitory effect of Coptidis Rhizoma and berberine on the proliferation of human esophageal cancer cell lines. Cancer Lett. 2000;148:19–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Mitani N, Murakami K, Yamaura T, Ikeda T, Saiki I. Inhibitory effect of berberine on the mediastinal lymph node metastasis produced by orthotopic implantation of Lewis lung carcinoma. Cancer Lett. 2001;165:35–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kim YJ, Kang SA, Hong MS, Park HJ, Kim MJ, Park HJ, Kim HK. Coptidis rhizoma induces apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells SNU-C4. Am J Chin Med. 2004;32:873–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Iizuka N, Miyamoto K, Okita K, Tangoku A, Hayashi H, Yosino S, Abe T, Morioka T, Hazama S, Oka M. Inhibitory effect of Coptidis Rhizoma and berberine on the proliferation of human esophageal cancer cell lines. Cancer Lett. 2000;148:19–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen JK, Chen TT. Chinese medical herbology and pharmacology. 2nd ed. California: Art of Medicine Press; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Park CS, Lee YC, Kim JD, Kim HM, Kim CH. Inhibitory effects of Polygonum cuspidatum water extract (PCWE) and its component resveratrol [correction of rasveratrol] on acyl-coenzyme A-cholesterol acyltransferase activity for cholesteryl ester synthesis in HepG2 cells. Vascul Pharmacol. 2004;40:279–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Fuggetta MP, D’Atri S, Lanzilli G, Tricarico M, Cannavo E, Zambruno G, Falchetti R, Ravagnan G. In vitro antitumour activity of resveratrol in human melanoma cells sensitive or resistant to temozolomide. Melanoma Res. 2004;14:189–96.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kimura Y, Okuda H. Resveratrol isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum root prevents tumor growth and metastasis to lung and tumor-induced neovascularization in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice. J Nutr. 2001;131:1844–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Feng L, Zhang LF, Yan T, Jin J, Tao WY. Studies on active substance of anticancer effect in Polygonum cuspidatum. Zhong Yao Cai. 2006;29:689–91.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Giridharan P, Somasundaram ST, Perumal K, Vishwakarma RA, Karthikeyan NP, Velmurugan R, Balakrishnan A. Novel substituted methylenedioxy lignan suppresses proliferation of cancer cells by inhibiting telomerase and activation of c-myc and caspases leading to apoptosis. Br J Cancer. 2002;87:98–105.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Huang ST, Yang RC, Chen MY, Pang JH. Phyllanthus urinaria induces the Fas receptor/ligand expression and ceramide-mediated apoptosis in HL-60 cells. Life Sci. 2004;75:339–51.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Huang ST, Yang RC, Yang LJ, Lee PN, Pang JH. Phyllanthus urinaria triggers the apoptosis and Bcl-2 down-regulation in Lewis lung carcinoma cells. Life Sci. 2003;72:1705–16.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kiefer D, Pantuso T. Panax ginseng. Am Fam Physician. 2003;68:1539–42.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Chang YS, Seo EK, Gyllenhaal C, Block KI. Panax ginseng: a role in cancer therapy? Integr Cancer Ther. 2003;2:13–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Nakata H, Kikuchi Y, Tode T, Hirata J, Kita T, Ishii K, Kudoh K, Nagata I, Shinomiya N. Inhibitory effects of ginsenoside Rh2 on tumor growth in nude mice bearing human ovarian cancer cells. Jpn J Cancer Res. 1998;89:733–40.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sagar SM, Yance D, Wong RK. Natural health products that inhibit angiogenesis: a potential source for investigational new agents to treat cancer-Part 1. Curr Oncol. 2006;13:14–26.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Cheng YL, Chang WL, Lee SC, Liu YG, Lin HC, Chen CJ, Yen CY, Yu DS, Lin SZ, Harn HJ. Acetone extract of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium inhibits proliferation of A549 human lung cancer cells via inducing apoptosis and suppressing telomerase activity. Life Sci. 2003;73:2383–94.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Cheng YL, Lee SC, Lin SZ, Chang WL, Chen YL, Tsai NM, Liu YC, Tzao C, Yu DS, Harn HJ. Anti-proliferative activity of Bupleurum scrozonerifolium in A549 human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Lett. 2005;222:183–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hsia SM, Yeh CL, Kuo YH, Wang PS, Chiang W. Effects of adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf.) hull extracts on the secretion of progesterone and estradiol in vivo and in vitro. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2007;232:1181–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Chang HC, Huang YC, Hung WC. Antiproliferative and chemopreventive effects of adlay seed on lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. J Agric Food Chem. 2003;51:3656–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hung WC, Chang HC. Methanolic extract of adlay seed suppresses COX-2 expression of human lung cancer cells via inhibition of gene transcription. J Agric Food Chem. 2003;51:7333–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Wu J, Wu Y, Yang BB. Anticancer activity of Hemsleya amabilis extract. Life Sci. 2002;71:2161–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Garbett NC, Graves DE. Extending nature’s leads: the anticancer agent ellipticine. Curr Med Chem Anti-Canc Agents. 2004;4:149–72.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Stiborova M, Rupertova M, Schmeiser HH, Frei E. Molecular mechanisms of antineoplastic action of an anticancer drug ellipticine. Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2006;150:13–23.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Stiborova M, Stiborova-Rupertova M, Borek-Dohalska L, Wiessler M, Frei E. Rat microsomes activating the anticancer drug ellipticine to species covalently binding to deoxyguanosine in DNA are a suitable model mimicking ellipticine bioactivation in humans. Chem Res Toxicol. 2003;16:38–47.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Faddeeva MD, Beliaeva TN. Sanguinarine and ellipticine cytotoxic alkaloids isolated from well-known antitumor plants. Intracellular targets of their action]. Tsitologiia. 1997;39:181–208.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Frei E, Bieler CA, Arlt VM, Wiessler M, Stiborova M. Covalent binding of the anticancer drug ellipticine to DNA in V79 cells transfected with human cytochrome P450 enzymes. Biochem Pharmacol. 2002;64:289–95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Chitra M, Sukumar E, Suja V, Devi CS. Antitumor, anti-inflammatory and analgesic property of embelin, a plant product. Chemotherapy. 1994;40:109–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Nikolovska-Coleska Z, Xu L, Hu Z, Tomita Y, Li P, Roller PP, Wang R, Fang X, Guo R, Zhang M, Lippman ME, Yang D, Wang S. Discovery of embelin as a cell-permeable, small-molecular weight inhibitor of XIAP through structure-based computational screening of a traditional herbal medicine three-dimensional structure database. J Med Chem. 2004;47:2430–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Mori T, Doi R, Kida A, Nagai K, Kami K, Ito D, Toyoda E, Kawaguchi Y, Uemoto S. Effect of the XIAP inhibitor Embelin on TRAIL-induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. J Surg Res. 2007;142:281–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Scott DW, Loo G. Curcumin-induced GADD153 gene upregulation in human colon cancer cells. Carcinogenesis. 2004;25:2155–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Radhakrishna Pillai G, Srivastava AS, Hassanein TI, Chauhan DP, Carrier E. Induction of apoptosis in human lung cancer cells by curcumin. Cancer Lett. 2004;208:163–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Blasiak J, Trzeciak A, Kowalik J. Curcumin damages DNA in human gastric mucosa cells and lymphocytes. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol. 1999;18:271–6.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Chauhan DP. Chemotherapeutic potential of curcumin for colorectal cancer. Curr Pharm Des. 2002;8:1695–706.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Collett GP, Campbell FC. Curcumin induces c-jun N-terminal kinase-dependent apoptosis in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. Carcinogenesis. 2004;25:2183–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Thangapazham RL, Sharma A, Maheshwari RK. Multiple molecular targets in cancer chemoprevention by curcumin. AAPS J. 2006;8:E443–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Kakar SS, Roy D. Curcumin inhibits TPA induced expression of c-fos, c-jun and c-myc proto-oncogenes messenger RNAs in mouse skin. Cancer Lett. 1994;87:85.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Koo JY, Kim HJ, Jung KO, Park KY. Curcumin inhibits the growth of AGS human gastric carcinoma cells in vitro and shows synergism with 5-fluorouracil. J Med Food. 2004;7:117–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Van’t Land B, Blijlevens NM, Marteijn J, Timal S, Donnelly JP, de Witte TJ, M’Rabet L. Role of curcumin and the inhibition of NF-kappaB in the onset of chemotherapy-induced mucosal barrier injury. Leukemia. 2004;18:276–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I sincerely wrote this article in memory of Dr. Neil Towers, who passed away in the morning of November 15, 2004. This is to hope that Dr. Neil Towers’s work ethics, goals, and dreams live on by me. Dr. Neil Towers was a Pergamon Phytochemistry Prize recipient.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    David Siu

Authors
  1. David Siu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Siu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Siu, D. Natural products and their role in cancer therapy. Med Oncol 28, 888–900 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-010-9528-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-010-9528-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation