Reviewing the Prospective Pharmacological Potential of Isothiocyanates in Fight against Female-Specific Cancers

Abstract

Gynecological cancers are the most commonly diagnosed malignancies in females worldwide. Despite the advancement of diagnostic tools as well as the availability of various therapeutic interventions, the incidence and mortality of female-specific cancers is still a life-threatening issue, prevailing as one of the major health problems worldwide. Lately, alternative medicines have garnered immense attention as a therapeutic intervention against various types of cancers, seemingly because of their safety profiles and enhanced effectiveness. Isothiocyanates (ITCs), specifically sulforaphane, benzyl isothiocyanate, and phenethyl isothiocyanate, have shown an intriguing potential to actively contribute to cancer cell growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, epigenetic alterations, and modulation of autophagy and cancer stem cells in female-specific cancers. Additionally, it has been shown that ITCs plausibly enhance the chemo-sensitization of many chemotherapeutic drugs. To this end, evidence has shown enhanced efficacy in combinatorial regimens with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs and/or other phytochemicals. Reckoning with these, herein, we discuss the advances in the knowledge regarding the aspects highlighting the molecular intricacies of ITCs in female-specific cancers. In addition, we have also argued regarding the potential of ITCs either as solitary treatment or in a combinatorial therapeutic regimen for the prevention and/or treatment of female-specific cancers. Hopefully, this review will open new horizons for consideration of ITCs in therapeutic interventions that would undoubtedly improve the prognosis of the female-specific cancer clientele. Considering all these, it is reasonable to state that a better understanding of these molecular intricacies will plausibly provide a facile opportunity for treating these female-specific cancers.

Natural Compounds and Glutathione: Beyond Mere Antioxidants

“…SFN at high doses suppressed tumor growth and cell proliferation, while at low concentrations, both were increased [133]. The same hormetic trend was shown in the modulation of GSH amount, suggesting that its close interaction with ITCs is strictly correlated with its antitumor and antiproliferative activities [134,135]. Such an effect can be explained since tumor cells show a high GSH content that readily interacts with elevated concentrations of ITCs, causing intracellular accumulation of GSH conjugate derivatives accountable for the antitumor activities [136].…”

“…Despite their well-documented anticancer activities (Table 3), ITCs have been found to exhibit hormetic activities in tumor cells, which involve GSH amount in a biphasic dose-response relationship, wherein low doses of these compounds can induce beneficial effects while high doses may be detrimental in different cancer models in vitro and in vivo [133][134][135]. The modulatory effects of ITCs on GSH homeostasis and its hormetic activities are significant and hold great potential for therapeutic applications.…”

A Comparative Review of Key Isothiocyanates and Their Health Benefits

“…This intriguing observation prompted further investigations into isothiocyanates, aiming to unravel the underlying mechanisms facilitating plant survival in diverse conditions. Studies have revealed that isothiocyanates encompass a plethora of health benefits, including antidiabetic, anticancer, analgesic, and cardioprotective effects, the potential to treat neurological disorders, and regulation of thyroid gland function [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Thus, the purpose of this review is to consolidate current understanding about well-studied isothiocyanates such as sulforaphane and phenyl ethyl isothiocyanate, and to compare them with less investigated moringa isothiocyanates (MIC).…”