Review Paper:
Phytochemicals
and their anticancer activity: An update on their mode of action
Sravanthi Pammi S.S. and Giri Archana
Res. J. Biotech.; Vol. 20(7); 190-198;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/207rjbt1900198; (2025)
Abstract
Many medicinal plants are well known in our country since time immemorial which
reveal the invaluable knowledge of medicinal herbs to help in curing various diseases.
Plants adapt to many physical and physiological defense mechanisms by production
of secondary metabolites. The synergistic effects of herbal medicine contribute
to greater potential in curing diseases compared to synthetic drugs. Role of research
using herbs of medicinal importance is increasing rapidly during the preceding decade
for development of new phytopharmaceuticals. Many new species of medicinal plants
and their therapeutic effects were added to the already existing pharmacopeia. Modern
medicine analyses biological effects of medicinal plants technically for novel drug
development for accurate mode of action. This is an era where herbal medicine re-emerged
as secondary metabolites showing numerous therapeutic effects focusing on identification,
isolation and scale up of phytopharmaceuticals for manufacturing of drugs beneficial
to humankind.
Various phytochemicals that play a role in anticancer properties along with mode
of action are reviewed in present study. This review highlights the mechanism of
antitumor action of some of the recent findings in plants focusing on regulating
signaling pathways which paved the way in revolutionizing the pharma field. However,
the study of medicinal plants should continue on unexplored plants without limitation.
Mechanism of anticancer action of many explored and unexplored plants needs to be
highlighted.
