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Review

Anticancer Plants: A Review of the Active Phytochemicals, Applications in Animal Models, and Regulatory Aspects

1
Department of Biotechnology, University of Malakand, Chakdara 18800, Pakistan
2
Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
3
Department of Zoology, University of Buner, Sowari 17290, Pakistan
4
Department of Biotechnology, Hazara University, Mansehra 21120, Pakistan
5
National Council for Tibb, Islamabad, Pakistan
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Biomolecules 2020, 10(1), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10010047
Submission received: 15 November 2019 / Revised: 24 December 2019 / Accepted: 25 December 2019 / Published: 27 December 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Omics in Medicinal Plants)

Abstract

The rising burden of cancer worldwide calls for an alternative treatment solution. Herbal medicine provides a very feasible alternative to western medicine against cancer. This article reviews the selected plant species with active phytochemicals, the animal models used for these studies, and their regulatory aspects. This study is based on a meticulous literature review conducted through the search of relevant keywords in databases, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Twenty plants were selected based on defined selection criteria for their potent anticancer compounds. The detailed analysis of the research studies revealed that plants play an indispensable role in fighting different cancers such as breast, stomach, oral, colon, lung, hepatic, cervical, and blood cancer cell lines. The in vitro studies showed cancer cell inhibition through DNA damage and activation of apoptosis-inducing enzymes by the secondary metabolites in the plant extracts. Studies that reported in vivo activities of these plants showed remarkable results in the inhibition of cancer in animal models. Further studies should be performed on exploring more plants, their active compounds, and the mechanism of anticancer actions for use as standard herbal medicine.
Keywords: cancer; apoptosis; herbs; cell lines; in vivo cancer; apoptosis; herbs; cell lines; in vivo
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MDPI and ACS Style

Khan, T.; Ali, M.; Khan, A.; Nisar, P.; Jan, S.A.; Afridi, S.; Shinwari, Z.K. Anticancer Plants: A Review of the Active Phytochemicals, Applications in Animal Models, and Regulatory Aspects. Biomolecules 2020, 10, 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10010047

AMA Style

Khan T, Ali M, Khan A, Nisar P, Jan SA, Afridi S, Shinwari ZK. Anticancer Plants: A Review of the Active Phytochemicals, Applications in Animal Models, and Regulatory Aspects. Biomolecules. 2020; 10(1):47. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10010047

Chicago/Turabian Style

Khan, Tariq, Muhammad Ali, Ajmal Khan, Parveen Nisar, Sohail Ahmad Jan, Shakeeb Afridi, and Zabta Khan Shinwari. 2020. "Anticancer Plants: A Review of the Active Phytochemicals, Applications in Animal Models, and Regulatory Aspects" Biomolecules 10, no. 1: 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10010047

APA Style

Khan, T., Ali, M., Khan, A., Nisar, P., Jan, S. A., Afridi, S., & Shinwari, Z. K. (2020). Anticancer Plants: A Review of the Active Phytochemicals, Applications in Animal Models, and Regulatory Aspects. Biomolecules, 10(1), 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10010047

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