Applications of herbal medicines in cancer therapies
1.Background:
The burden of cancer rose to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths in 2018. With 36 different types, cancer mainly affects men in the form of colorectal, liver, lung, prostate, and stomach cancer and women in the form of breast, cervix, colorectal, lung, and thyroid cancer [1]. Treating cancer has become a whole new area of research. There are conventional as well as very modern techniques applied against cancers. A variety of techniques i.e., chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery are used for treating cancer. However, all of them have some disadvantages [2]. The use of conventional chemicals bears side effects and toxicities [3]. But as the problem persists, new approaches are needed for the control of diseases, especially, because of the failure of conventional chemotherapeutic approaches. Therefore, there is a need for new strategies for the prevention and cure of cancer to control the death rate because of this disease.
In this century, cancer has become one of the major problems and diseases that have caused predominant death, and it will even surpass heart diseases. Since World War I, chemotherapy has become as one of the most important and significant treatments of cancer. Even if it can cure cancer, it is found to cause several critical side effects. Over the past 20 years, many types of new therapies have emerged; some of them were extracted from plants that are found to be effective and safe. Moreover, it has been approved that several plants, herbs, and vegetables can prevent or reduce incidence of cancer in several sites of the human body. Besides, researchers found that they are a great source for developing and producing new, effective, tolerable, and safe anticancer drugs compared with the synthetic ones. As a result of that, researchers recommended future studies to focus more on plant as a source for safe and effective anticancer treatment.
2.Introduction:
Herbal medicine has become a very safe, non-toxic, and easily available source of cancer-treating compounds. Herbs are believed to neutralize the effects of diseases in a body because of various characteristics they possess [4]. For instance, among the many anticancer medicinal plants, Phaleria macrocarpa (local name: Mahkota dewa) and Fagonia indica (local name: Dhamasa) have been used traditionally for the anticancer properties of their active ingredients [5,6]. Metabolites extracted from the plant material are used to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Gallic acid as the active component was purified from the fruit extract of P. macrocarpa and has demonstrated a role in the induction of apoptosis in lung cancer, leukemia, and colon adenocarcinoma cell lines [7,8]. It is a polyhydroxy phenolic compound and a natural antioxidant that can be obtained from a variety of natural products i.e., grapes, strawberries, bananas, green tea, and vegetables [9]. It also plays a critical role in preventing malignancy transformation and the development of cancer [10]. Similarly, other compounds such as vinca alkaloids, podophyllotoxin, and camptothecin obtained from various plants are used for the treatment of cancer.
2.1.Cancer treatment and prevention
According to the two famous Islamic physicians (Rhazes and Avicenna), diseases need to be treated by using a scheme which consists of three options; the first option will be by using physiotherapy and diet, the second one will be by using drugs, and the last option will be surgery. Drugs used on that time have been classified as simple and compound drugs. Treatment of any disease will start with the simple one to avoid drug–drug interaction; unless it did not work, then physician will use the compound drugs, and when second option failed too, then surgery will be used [11].
Regarding cancer treatment, the Islamic scholar “Avicenna” mentioned that “if it is the start of a cancer, it is possible to make it static and prevent it from growth and hence ulceration” [12].
以上是毕业论文文献综述，课题毕业论文、任务书、外文翻译、程序设计、图纸设计等资料可联系客服协助查找。
