title: Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa (Bael) and its phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of cancer.
abstract: Aegle marmelos, commonly known as Bael and belonging to the family Rutaceae is an important medicinal plant in the traditional Indian system of medicine, the Ayurveda. The extract prepared by boiling the bark, leaves or roots in water is useful as laxative, febrifuge, and expectorant. The extract is also useful in ophthalmia, deafness, inflammations, catarrh, diabetes, and asthmatic complaints. The fruits are used in treating diarrhea, dysentery, stomach ache, and cardiac ailments. Scientific studies have validated many of Bael's ethnomedicinal properties and its potential antimicrobial effects, hypoglycemic, astringent, antidiarrheal, antidysenteric, demulcent, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, wound-healing, insecticidal, and gastroprotective properties. In addition, studies have also shown that Bael and some of the Bael phytochemicals possess antineoplastic, radioprotective, chemoprotective, and chemopreventive effects, properties efficacious in the treatment and prevention of cancer. For the first time, the current review summarizes the results related to these properties and emphasizes aspects that require further investigation for Bael's safe and effective use in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. msbaliga@gmail.com
authors.forename: Manjeshwar Shrinath
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Baliga
authors.forename: Karadka Ramdas
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Thilakchand
authors.forename: Manoj Ponadka
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Ponemone
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venkatesh
mesh_terms: D045471:Aegle / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts