Natural Products for the Prevention, Treatment and Progression of Breast Cancer

Abstract

In this review, we summarize the most used natural products as useful adjuvants in BC by clarifying how these products may play a critical role in the prevention, treatment and progression of this disease. BC is the leading cancer, in terms of incidence, that affects women. The epidemiology and pathophysiology of BC were widely reported. Inflammation and cancer are known to influence each other in several tumors. In the case of BC, the inflammatory component precedes the development of the neoplasm through a slowly increasing and prolonged inflammation that also favors its growth. BC therapy involves a multidisciplinary approach comprising surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. There are numerous observations that showed that the effects of some natural substances, which, in integration with the classic protocols, can be used not only for prevention or integration in order to prevent recurrences and induce a state of chemoquiescence but also as chemo- and radiosensitizers during classic therapy.

Dioscin inhibits non-small cell lung cancer cells and activates apoptosis by downregulation of Survivin

“…Natural products have attracted wide attention recently because of their low toxicity and sustainably obtained properties. A large number of preclinical studies have proved that natural compounds exert an antitumor effect by targeting a variety of pro-tumor proteins, such as survivin [58][59][60]. Xanthohumol significantly reduced survivin expression by regulating phosphorylation at Thr34 and facilitating ubiquitination, inhibiting oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell growth [35].…”

Phytochemicals Involved in Mitigating Silent Toxicity Induced by Heavy Metals

“…Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a well-known flowering plant whose rhizome, known as ginger root, is usually used in both culinary and traditional medicine. A growing body of evidence has highlighted the diverse biological activities of ginger, such as protection against male infertility, alleviation of nausea and vomiting, management of diabetes and cancer, as well as its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-obesity activities and various other benefits [136,137]. It was also investigated for the detoxification of HMs.…”

Neuroprotective Effects of Curcumin in Neurodegenerative Diseases

“…Furthermore, curcumin may be useful in the treatment of cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal diseases. In addition, curcumin possesses a wide variety of biological actions, showing antitumor, pulmonoprotective, antithrombotic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial, antifungal, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and antihepatotoxic effects [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. It may also act as an antiviral by inhibiting the replication in a wide range of viruses, being also suggested as a promising therapy for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 [ 19 , 20 ].…”