Abstract

A REVIEW ON ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS

Grace college of pharmacy, Kodunthirappully, Palakkad, Kerala, India.

ABSTRACT

Natural products are well recognized as sources of drugs in several human ailments. Approximately 64% of drugs used in cancer chemotherapy are from plants materials with different modes of action. This study proposes to list the natural compounds having the capacity to inhibit or reduce the development of cancer in order to identify their mechanisms of action and mode of signalization involved in the process of carcinogenesis, vinblastine, vincristine, topotecan, irinotecan, etoposide, taxol and paclitaxel are drugs derived from natural resources used in the treatment of a wide variety of cancers. With advanced knowledge of molecular science and refinement in isolation and structure elucidation techniques, various anticancer herbs has been identified, which execute their therapeutic effect by inhibiting cancer-activating enzymes and hormones, stimulating DNA repair mechanism, promoting production of protective enzymes, inducing antioxidant action and enhancing immunity of the body. Here we covered the plants used previously and recently identified for treatment of cancer and to reduce the pains during the treatment of cancer.

Keywords: Anticancer, Medicinal herbs, Herbal medicines, Cancer treatment.