Natural essential oils as a new therapeutic tool in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most revalent type of cancer in the world and the second most common cause of cancer death (about 1 million per year). Historically, natural compounds and their structural analogues have contributed to the development of new drugs useful in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Essential oils are natural odorous products made up of a complex mixture of low molecular weight compounds with recognized biological and pharmacological properties investigated also for the prevention and treatment of cancer. The aim of this paper is to highlight the possible role of essential oils in CRC, their composition and the preclinical studies involving them. It has been reviewed the preclinical pharmacological studies to determine the experimental models used and the anticancer potential mechanisms of action of natural essential oils in CRC. Searches were performed in the following databases PubMed/Medline, Web of science, TRIP database, Scopus, Google Scholar using appropriate MeSH terms. The results of analyzed studies showed that EOs exhibited a wide range of bioactive effects like cytotoxicity, antiproliferative, and antimetastatic effects on cancer cells through various mechanisms of action. This updated review provides a better quality of scientific evidence for the efficacy of EOs as chemotherapeutic/chemopreventive agents in CRC. Future translational clinical studies are needed to establish the effective dose in humans as well as the most suitable route of administration for maximum bioavailability and efficacy. Given the positive anticancer results obtained from preclinical pharmacological studies, EOs can be considered efficient complementary therapies in chemotherapy in CRC.

A comprehensive review on traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of Paeonia emodi Wall. ex Royle: current landscape and future perspectives

“…Cancer is a large group of diseases that vary in mode of onset, growth rate, diagnosis, detectability, invasive potential, metastasis, response to treatment and prognosis [122][123][124][125][126]. Numerous studies have also revealed that additional Paeonia constituents may be used to treat breast, lung, and liver cancers and leukaemia.…”

An updated overview of anticancer effects of alternariol and its derivatives: underlying molecular mechanisms

“…The cell inflammation induction by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers a series of signaling pathways including MAPK and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) ( Li et al, 2016 ; Capó et al, 2021 ; Pezzani et al, 2023 ). MAPKs are involved in the phosphorylation of JNK, ERK and p38 which regulate the expression of MSK 1/2 and then p65 ( Xie et al, 2019 ; Garzoli et al, 2022 ; Li et al, 2023 ). Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) are also key enzymes involved in inflammation and cell stress, being NO an important regulator of COX-2 expression and activity ( Sharifi-Rad et al, 2022c ; Li et al, 2023 ).…”

Essential oils and their nanoformulations for breast cancer therapy

“…Structural diversity of EOs allow them to simultaneously mediate multiple molecular mechanisms including inhibition of cell proliferation, alteration of pH gradient, enhancement of mitochondrial damage, induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and activation of apoptotic pathways. In addition, EOs and their components have been reported to modulate several oncogenic signaling pathways involved in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of BC, which include the PI3K/pAKT, AMPK, mTOR, NF‐κB, and STAT3 pathways (Bunse et al, 2022; Garzoli et al, 2022; Sharma et al, 2022).…”