Natural products as inhibitors of carcinogenesis.
BACKGROUND
Although carcinogenesis and cancer have been studied intensively for > 50 years, the rates of cancer incidence and mortality remain high. The most successful approach for reducing these rates has been primary prevention. For individuals at a high risk of developing cancer owing to certain genetic, environmental and occupational factors, cancer chemoprevention is a logical approach.


OBJECTIVE
This review discusses natural products as inhibitors of carcinogenesis.


CONCLUSIONS
Natural product chemopreventive agents are inherently biologically active and have been demonstrated to prevent and reverse the carcinogenic process in a pleiotropic manner. Derivatives of compounds discovered by screening natural products for chemopreventive agents have shown efficacy in clinical trials. Despite the obstacles that must be overcome before chemopreventive drugs become an integral component of standard medical practice for cancer prophylaxis, there is vast potential for significant improvement in cancer morbidity and mortality through the use of natural product chemopreventive drugs.
Guilford
Jacquelyn M
JM
University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Pharmacy, 34 Rainbow Drive, Hilo, Hawaii 96720, USA.
Pezzuto
John M
JM
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D018890:Chemoprevention; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D001688:Biological Products