Current Perspectives of the Applications of Polyphenols and Flavonoids in Cancer Therapy

Abstract

The development of anticancer therapies that involve natural drugs has undergone exponential growth in recent years. Among the natural compounds that produce beneficial effects on human health, polyphenols have shown potential therapeutic applications in cancer due to their protective functions in plants, their use as food additives, and their excellent antioxidant properties. The possibility of combining conventional drugs-which are usually more aggressive than natural compounds-with polyphenols offers very valuable advantages such as the building of more efficient anticancer therapies with less side effects on human health. This review shows a wide range of trials in which polyphenolic compounds play a crucial role as anticancer medicines alone or in combination with other drugs at different stages of cancer: cancer initiation, promotion, and growth or progression. Moreover, the future directions in applications of various polyphenols in cancer therapy are emphasized.

Keywords: anticancer therapy; antioxidants; cancer; dietary supplements; flavonoids; natural health products; phytochemicals; polyphenols.

Figure 1

Classification of polyphenols and flavonoids. Examples of each subgroup with anticancer activity are mentioned.

Figure 2

Number of peer-reviewed articles published in the last decades in the field of polyphenols in cancer therapy.

Figure 3

General structure of flavonoids.

Figure 4

Chemical structure of the major subclasses of flavonoids.

Figure 5

Number of peer-reviewed articles published in the last decades in the field of flavonoids in cancer therapy.

Figure 6

Molecular structure of flavone backbone.