A Review on Annona muricata and Its Anticancer Activity

Abstract

The ongoing rise in the number of cancer cases raises concerns regarding the efficacy of the various treatment methods that are currently available. Consequently, patients are looking for alternatives to traditional cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy as a replacement. Medicinal plants are universally acknowledged as the cornerstone of preventative medicine and therapeutic practices. Annona muricata is a member of the family Annonaceae and is familiar for its medicinal properties. A. muricata has been identified to have promising compounds that could potentially be utilized for the treatment of cancer. The most prevalent phytochemical components identified and isolated from this plant are alkaloids, phenols, and acetogenins. This review focuses on the role of A. muricata extract against various types of cancer, modulation of cellular proliferation and necrosis, and bioactive metabolites responsible for various pharmacological activities along with their ethnomedicinal uses. Additionally, this review highlights the molecular mechanism of the role of A. muricata extract in downregulating anti-apoptotic and several genes involved in the pro-cancer metabolic pathways and decreasing the expression of proteins involved in cell invasion and metastasis while upregulating proapoptotic genes and genes involved in the destruction of cancer cells. Therefore, the active phytochemicals identified in A. muricata have the potential to be employed as a promising anti-cancer agent.

Epigenetic reprogramming in cancer: From diagnosis to treatment

“…These epigenetic features are similar to those observed in early development, where somatic cells are reprogrammed towards a less differentiated state followed by oncogenic reprogramming (Suvà et al, 2013;Feinberg, et al, 2016). The stem-like state or stem progenitor for cancer development is the major challenge in treatment, as it promotes unlimited self-renewal, multi-lineage differentiation and drug resistance (Suvà et al, 2013) Furthermore, alterations in the tumor microenvironment, tumor heterogeneity and regulation of stromal cells are associated with functional abilities acquired through epigenetic reprogramming (Ilango et al, 2020).…”

“…Due to its ability to regulate cell growth and differentiation pathways, non-mutational epigenetic reprogramming has been added as a hallmark of cancer (Hanahan, 2022) and maybe a driver mutational event in sporadic cancers that promotes genomic instability, tumor initiation and malignant transformation (Feinberg et al, 2006;Feinberg et al, 2016;Hanahan, 2022). These (epi)genetic changes confer a specific phenotype to cancer cells as the uncontrolled growth, resistance to death and increased invasiveness to adjacent tissues and/or spread to other organs (Ilango et al, 2020).…”

Natural biomolecules and derivatives as anticancer immunomodulatory agents

“…It is used in indigenous medicine against cancer, parasites, malaria, and depression. A. muricata extracts can be derived from the fruit, the seeds, the roots or the leaves of the plant and consist of over 200 phytochemicals including but not limited acetogenins, flavonols, phenolic compounds and glycopeptides ( 200 ). We will first review studies utilizing graviola extracts and then we will focus on the anticancer properties of select graviola phytochemicals.…”

“…The antineoplastic effects of graviola have been elucidated in a plethora of in vitro and in vivo studies and have been extensively reviewed elsewhere ( 200 ). Graviola has demonstrated significant potency against breast cancer in vitro and in vivo .…”

“…Over 200 phytochemicals have been identified in graviola extracts with most of the antitumor effects being attributed to flavonoids and acetogenins. Acetogenins are cytotoxic against carcinomas of the breast, pancreas, prostate, colon, liver and kidney in vitro and in vivo ( 200 ). Annonacin, a potent complex 1 inhibitor, inhibited EGFR activity when used alone, and sensitized multidrug-resistance breast cancer cells to tamoxifen to reduce xenograft tumor burden ( 217 ).…”