Publication: Las plantas medicinales como fuente de compuestos antineoplásicos
Loading...
Official URL
Full text at PDC
Publication Date
2016-06
Authors
Advisors (or tutors)
Editors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Citations
Exportar
Abstract
El cáncer representa la segunda causa principal de muerte a nivel global y por ello existe una demanda constante de desarrollo de nuevos fármacos antineoplásicos eficaces y asequibles. A pesar de los grandes avances logrados en el tratamiento del cáncer aún son muchos los pacientes cuyas terapias fracasan. Las plantas han sido utilizadas durante siglos para fines médicos y son la base de la medicina moderna. Muchos de los fármacos quimioterápicos para el tratamiento del cáncer son moléculas aisladas a partir de plantas o sus derivados sintéticos. En la actualidad, son varios los compuestos procedentes de productos vegetales que se utilizan para tratar el cáncer y esta revisión se centrará en los compuestos químicos derivados de plantas que han demostrado en los últimos años, eficacia clínica como agentes anticancerígenos describiéndose su mecanismo de acción así como su perfil de indicaciones. Aproximadamente el 60% de los medicamentos usados actualmente para el tratamiento del cáncer se han aislado a partir de productos naturales. Estos incluyen los alcaloides de la vinca, los taxanos, los alcaloides derivados de la camptotecina y los lignanos derivados de epipodofilotoxina. Sin embargo, existen muchas plantas que han demostrado poseer prometedoras propiedades anticáncer in vitro e in vivo, pero los principios activos responsables de dicha actividad aún no han sido evaluados. Por tanto, se requieren más estudios para determinar la eficacia de estos productos vegetales en el tratamiento de cánceres en los seres humanos. Actualmente nuevos compuestos derivados de plantas están siendo evaluados en ensayos clínicos. Sin embargo, sólo un pequeño número de plantas han sido probadas en pacientes con cáncer y existe evidencia limitada de su eficacia clínica.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore there is a constant demand to develop new, effective, and affordable anticancer drugs. Although great advancement has been made in the treatment of cancer progression, still significant deficiencies and room for improvements remain. Plants have been used for medical purposes since the beginning of human history and are the basis of modern medicine. Most chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer treatment are molecules identified and isolated from plants or their synthetic derivatives. Currently, a few plant products are being used to treat cancer and this review will focus on the plant-derived chemical compounds that have, in recent years, shown promise as anticancer agents clinically and will outline their mechanism of action. - 4 - Approximately 60% of drugs currently used for cancer treatment have been isolated from natural products. These include vinca alkaloids, Taxus diterpenes, Camptotheca alkaloids, and Podophyllum lignans. However, many plants exist that have shown very promising anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo but their active anticancer principles have yet to be evaluated and further study is required to determine the efficacy of these plant products in treating cancer in humans. Currently new plant-derived compounds are being tested in clinical trials. However, only a small number of plants have been tested in cancerous patients and limited evidence exists for their clinical effectiveness.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore there is a constant demand to develop new, effective, and affordable anticancer drugs. Although great advancement has been made in the treatment of cancer progression, still significant deficiencies and room for improvements remain. Plants have been used for medical purposes since the beginning of human history and are the basis of modern medicine. Most chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer treatment are molecules identified and isolated from plants or their synthetic derivatives. Currently, a few plant products are being used to treat cancer and this review will focus on the plant-derived chemical compounds that have, in recent years, shown promise as anticancer agents clinically and will outline their mechanism of action. - 4 - Approximately 60% of drugs currently used for cancer treatment have been isolated from natural products. These include vinca alkaloids, Taxus diterpenes, Camptotheca alkaloids, and Podophyllum lignans. However, many plants exist that have shown very promising anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo but their active anticancer principles have yet to be evaluated and further study is required to determine the efficacy of these plant products in treating cancer in humans. Currently new plant-derived compounds are being tested in clinical trials. However, only a small number of plants have been tested in cancerous patients and limited evidence exists for their clinical effectiveness.