Background:
Scientific research continues to develop more efficacious drugs to treat and cure cancer, the
dreadful disease threatening the human race. Chemotherapy is an essential means in cancer therapy, however, plant drugs
having pharmacological safety, can be used alone or as additions to current chemotherapeutic agents to enhance therapeutic
efficacy and minimize chemotherapy-induced adverse effects.
Objective:
A combination therapy where the synergistic effect on multiple targets is possible has gained significance,
because since a one-drug one-target approach fails to yield the desired therapeutic effect. Therefore, a detailed description of
important plant polyphenolic compounds with anticancer activity and their role in potentiating chemotherapeutic efficiency
of existing anticancer drugs is provided in this review. Systematically screening combinations of active pharmaceutical
ingredients for potential synergy with plant compounds may be especially valuable in cancer therapy.
Methodology:
We extensively have gone through reviews and research articles available in the literature. We made use of
databases such as Google Scholar, Research Gate, PubMed, Science Direct, etc. The following keywords were used in our
literature search: “Chemotherapy, drug development, cancer drugs, plant-derived polyphenolics, synergistic studies,
combination therapy, diagnosis and genetics.”
Conclusion:
Systematic research studies on screening combinations of plant phytochemicals with potential
chemotherapeutic pharmaceuticals throws light on their synergistic effects, mechanisms of actions paving the way to
develop more efficient anticancer therapeutics to treat and cure the cancer menace, to nullify chemotherapy-induced adverse
effects and our review substantially contributes in this direction.
Using Chitosan or Chitosan Derivatives in Cancer Therapy
