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A review of the mechanisms of anti-cancer activities of some medicinal plants–biochemical perspectives

  • Patrick E. Aba EMAIL logo , John I. Ihedioha and Isaac U. Asuzu
Published/Copyright: December 16, 2021
Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology
From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 34 Issue 4

Abstract

Cancer is a disease resulting in unbridled growth of cells due to dysregulation in the balance of cell populations. Various management procedures in handling cases of cancer are not without their adverse side effects on the normal cells. Medicinal plants/herbs have been in use in the management of various ailments, including cancer, for a long time. Medicinal plants have been credited with wide safety margins, cost effectiveness, availability and diverse activities. This study reviewed various mechanisms of anti-cancer activities of some medicinal plants from a biochemical perspective. The mechanisms of anti-cancer activities of plant compounds addressed in this article include induction of apoptosis, anti-angiogenic effects, anti-metastasis, inhibition of cell cycle, inhibition of DNA destruction and effects on key enzymes, cytotoxic and anti-oxidant effects. The anti-cancer activities of some of the plants involve more than one mechanism.

Keywords: anti-cancer activity; biochemical perspectives; mechanism of actions; medicinal plants
Corresponding author: Patrick E. Aba, Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, Phone:+2348062730072, E-mail:

  1. Research funding: None declared.

  2. Competing interest: Authors declare no competing interest. Funding organization did not play any role in the literature search or report writing or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

  3. Employment/leadership: None declared.

  4. Honorarium: None declared.

  5. Author contributions: All authors contributed to writing and revising the manuscript and have accepted responsibility for the entire content of the submitted manuscript. They approved submission.

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Received: 2021-08-25
Accepted: 2021-11-28
Published Online: 2021-12-16

© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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  2. Minireview
  3. Impact of mental toughness on athlete’s performance and interventions to improve
  4. Reviews
  5. A review of the mechanisms of anti-cancer activities of some medicinal plants–biochemical perspectives
  6. Antimicrobials in COVID-19: strategies for treating a COVID-19 pandemic
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  8. Original Articles
  9. Intermittent exposure to green and white light-at-night activates hepatic glycogenolytic and gluconeogenetic activities in male Wistar rats
  10. Study of pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio in urothelial carcinoma
  11. The effects of Berberis vulgaris L. root extract on the opiate withdrawal syndrome and psychological factors: a randomized double-blind clinical trial
  12. Evidence of alterations in the learning and memory in offspring of stress-induced male rats
  13. The impact of vestibular symptoms and electronystagmography results on recovery from sudden sensorineural hearing loss
  14. Complementary mechanisms of modulation of spontaneous phasic contractions by the gaseous signalling molecules NO, H2S, HNO and the polysulfide Na2S3 in the rat colon
  15. Pharmacist-directed Sputnik V (GAM-COVID-VAC) surveillance program: a prospective observational study in Southern India
  16. Correlation among Poincare plot and traditional heart rate variability indices in adults with different risk levels of metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional approach from Southern India
  17. Does etodolac affect TRPA1 functionality in vivo in human?
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  19. Letter to the Editor
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https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0257
Keywords for this article
anti-cancer activity; biochemical perspectives; mechanism of actions; medicinal plants

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Minireview
  3. Impact of mental toughness on athlete’s performance and interventions to improve
  4. Reviews
  5. A review of the mechanisms of anti-cancer activities of some medicinal plants–biochemical perspectives
  6. Antimicrobials in COVID-19: strategies for treating a COVID-19 pandemic
  7. Anxiolytic effects of vestibular stimulation: an update
  8. Original Articles
  9. Intermittent exposure to green and white light-at-night activates hepatic glycogenolytic and gluconeogenetic activities in male Wistar rats
  10. Study of pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio in urothelial carcinoma
  11. The effects of Berberis vulgaris L. root extract on the opiate withdrawal syndrome and psychological factors: a randomized double-blind clinical trial
  12. Evidence of alterations in the learning and memory in offspring of stress-induced male rats
  13. The impact of vestibular symptoms and electronystagmography results on recovery from sudden sensorineural hearing loss
  14. Complementary mechanisms of modulation of spontaneous phasic contractions by the gaseous signalling molecules NO, H2S, HNO and the polysulfide Na2S3 in the rat colon
  15. Pharmacist-directed Sputnik V (GAM-COVID-VAC) surveillance program: a prospective observational study in Southern India
  16. Correlation among Poincare plot and traditional heart rate variability indices in adults with different risk levels of metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional approach from Southern India
  17. Does etodolac affect TRPA1 functionality in vivo in human?
  18. Dynamic of irisin secretion change after moderate-intensity chronic physical exercise on obese female
  19. Letter to the Editor
  20. The prospective record-breaking obesity drug tirzepatide raises concerns about affordability
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