Recent advances in natural therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer

Abstract

Plants and natural compounds have been widely recognized to have potential for the prevention of cancer progression and as complementary or standalone treatments for cancer patients. The major benefits of natural compounds are their reduced toxicity compared to more aggressive and widely utilized cancer treatment approaches. Preclinical studies have led to the discovery of a number of natural anticancer compounds, including preparations of Vitex negundo L., green tea, mandarin peel oil, ursolic acid, curcumin and resveratrol. Although the in vitro data highlights the potential of these natural alternatives, their benefits in clinical cancer treatment remain less conclusive. In this review, we will discuss some of the recent advances in natural anticancer treatment discovery for the four most prominent global cancers, namely, breast, lung, prostate and skin metastases. As the exploration of natural therapeutics continues to expand, these substances have the potential to be utilized as preventative strategies and complimentary therapeutics. In some cases, they may have sufficient anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic properties to function as standalone cancer treatments.

Keywords: anti-tumor; cancer; chemotherapy; curcumin; natural products; phytochemistry.