Anticancer Phytochemicals from the Himalayas: Underlying Mechanisms and Chemopreventive Significance in Cancer

Abstract

High-altitude plants have traditionally been a rich source of preventive and curative medicinal compounds. The rich repository of herbs found in the Himalayan region has not only been a source of health and general well-being for local communities but also for the modern pharmaceutical industry. In the current scenario, medicinal plants from the Himalayas are a promising resource for numerous metabolites which can serve as lead molecules against various deadly diseases. Plants growing at high altitudes suffer from an onslaught of stressful conditions, including mutagenic radiations, high-velocity winds, dehydration, etc. Plants of this region usually cope with these by altering their biochemical profile and producing chemicals that are called secondary metabolites. These secondary metabolites belong to chemical classes like phenols, terpenes, and alkaloids in general. The primary objective of this chapter is to study the anticancer potential of phytochemicals from some high-altitude plants. The underlying mechanism of their anticancer and chemopreventive action will also be discussed.