Plant-Based Antioxidant Extracts and Compounds in the Management of Oral Cancer

Abstract

Oral cancer continues to be a leading cause of death worldwide, and its prevalence is particularly high in developing countries, where people chew tobacco and betel nut on a regular basis. Radiation-, chemo-, targeted-, immuno-, and hormone-based therapies along with surgery are commonly used as part of a treatment plan. However, these treatments frequently result in various unwanted short- to long-term side effects. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop treatment options for oral cancer that have little or no adverse effects. Numerous bioactive compounds derived from various plants have recently attracted attention as therapeutic options for cancer treatment. Antioxidants found in medicinal plants, such as vitamins E, C, and A, reduce damage to the mucosa by neutralizing free radicals found in various oral mucosal lesions. Phytochemicals found in medicinal plants have the potential to modulate cellular signalling pathways that alter the cellular defence mechanisms to protect normal cells from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of various medicinal plants and phytoconstituents that have shown the potential to be used as oral cancer therapeutics.

The anti-inflammatory properties of the methanolic extract of Cucumis melo Linn. against prostate enlargement in Wistar rats

“…Previous studies using in vitro models have confirmed that MECM is capable of preventing protein denaturation, stabilizing the membranes and inhibiting protease activity ( Prakash et al, 2021 ). Several factors contribute to the development of edema, including histamine, bradykinin, and serotonin ( Rukshala et al, 2021 ).…”

“…The marc was then further extracted with 95 % methanol till the extractive became almost colourless. The process of extraction was repeated with and the entire alcoholic extractives were combined, and most of the solvent was recovered by distillation under reduced pressure ( Prakash et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Like other members of the Cucurbitaceae family, muskmelon and cantaloupe are part of the family Cucurbitaceae ( Rajasree et al, 2021 ). This plant, which belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae , contains bioactive compounds that can treat various ailments ( Prakash et al, 2021 ). The methanolic extract of the seeds contains phenolic compounds, particularly flavonoids, which makes it particularly effective in treating various ailments.…”

Botanicals and Oral Stem Cell Mediated Regeneration: A Paradigm Shift from Artificial to Biological Replacement

“…The interactions of natural plant extracts with stem cells have gained immense interest from researchers worldwide in recent times, as several studies have highlighted the ability of natural plant extracts/phytochemicals to promote survival, proliferation, as well as differentiation, of various mesenchymal stem cells [ 175 , 176 , 177 , 178 , 179 , 180 , 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 ]. In a recent study, curcumin, by increasing the early growth response protein 1 (EGR1) expression and activation of PI3K, Nrf2, and AKT signaling pathway, has been reported to promote the osteogenic differentiation potential in human PDLSCs [ 185 , 186 ].…”

Design, Characterization, and Anticancer and Antimicrobial Activities of Mucoadhesive Oral Patches Loaded with Usnea barbata (L.) F. H. Wigg Ethanol Extract F-UBE-HPMC

“…They also profoundly analyzed the significant role of plant secondary metabolites with antioxidant potential in maintaining oral health [ 9 ]. Prakash et al [ 10 ] extensively reviewed plant-based antioxidant extracts and compounds to manage oral cancer.…”