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Phytochemicals in the Prevention and Cure of Cancers

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Plant-derived Bioactives

Abstract

Most of the early medicines relied on the prescription of specific plants and herbs for medications. This practice is still supported by the present-day research, because of the bioactive phytocomponents present in them. Acting as a defense barrier against several plant pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, phytochemicals are also associated with the diminution of lethal diseases in humans, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, etc., and can also effectively diminish the risks of developing certain cancers. Cancer is considered as a neoplastic disease, and despite advances in the modern medicine, it is still the fundamental cause of mortalities in developing as well as developed countries. Specifically, phytochemicals may act as antioxidants and/or nutrient protectors and inhibit the formation of carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) in the body. Furthermore, the potential benefits of phytochemicals as an anticancer agent also include improving the immune system, reducing inflammation, preventing DNA damage, and facilitating DNA repair, thereby slowing down cancer cell growth, regulating hormones, and preventing damaged cells from reproducing. The literature supports the fact that phytochemicals are advantageous, because of their safe, low-toxic, universal availability and their ability to synergize with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Different studies suggest that regular intake of dietary phytochemicals is allied to low cancer risks. Thus, in this chapter, a summary of the therapeutic perspective of natural phytochemicals and cancer chemoprevention has been presented. Further, different mechanisms of cancer prevention using phytochemicals are discussed.

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Abbreviations

ACS:

American Cancer Society

Akt:

Protein kinase B

AML:

Acute myeloid leukemia

AP-1:

Activator protein-1

Bax:

Bcl-2-associated X protein

Bcl-2:

B-cell lymphoma 2

bFGF:

Basic fibroblast growth factor

BTK:

Bruton’s tyrosine kinase

CDK:

Cyclin-dependent kinases

c-myc:

c-Myelocytomatosis

COX-2:

Cyclooxygenase-2

CYP1A1:

Cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily A member 1

CYP1B1:

Cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily B member 1

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid

EGFR:

Epidermal growth factor receptor

ERK2:

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 2

Fas/CD95:

Apoptosis antigen 1 (cluster of differentiation 95)

GSTs:

Glutathione S-transferases

HDACs:

Histone deacetylases

HepG2:

Human liver cancer cell line

HER2/neu:

Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2

HIF-1α:

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α

HIV:

Human immunodeficiency virus

HPV:

Human papilloma virus

i.e.,:

That is

ICD-O:

International Classification of Diseases for Oncology

JAK2:

Janus kinase 2

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

MCF-7:

Breast cancer cell line

MMP:

Matrix metalloproteinase

mTOR:

Mammalian target of rapamycin

NCDB:

National Cancer Database

NF- κB:

Nuclear factor-kappa B

PDGFR:

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor

pHDACs:

Pan-histone deacetylases

PI3K:

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase

PKC:

Protein kinases C

PPAR:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor

PTEN:

Phosphatase and tensin homolog

pVHL:

Van Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor

Raf:

Rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma

Ras:

Retrovirus-associated DNA sequences

Rb:

Retinoblastoma

Skp2:

S-phase kinase-associated protein 2

Src:

Sarcoma

STAT3:

Signal transducer and activator of transcription

Syk-ZAP-70:

Spleen tyrosine kinase-zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70

UV:

Ultraviolet

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial factor

VEGFR:

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor

WHO:

World Health Organization

YPEL3:

Yippee-like 3 gene

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Acknowledgments

Authors are very thankful to Dr. Neetin S. Desai, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, for providing necessary guidance and support. Authors also thank Dr. Laxmikant H. Kamble, School of Life Sciences, S.R.T.M. University, Nanded, for the editorial assistance.

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Wagh, N.S., Pai, S.R., Sonkamble, V.V. (2020). Phytochemicals in the Prevention and Cure of Cancers. In: Swamy, M. (eds) Plant-derived Bioactives. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2361-8_16

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