title: South Asian Medicinal Compounds as Modulators of Resistance to Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy.
abstract: Cancer is a hyperproliferative disorder that involves transformation, dysregulation of apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. During the last 30 years, extensive research has revealed much about the biology of cancer. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the mainstays of cancer treatment, particularly for patients who do not respond to surgical resection. However, cancer treatment with drugs or radiation is seriously limited by chemoresistance and radioresistance. Various approaches and strategies are employed to overcome resistance to chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Many plant-derived phytochemicals have been investigated for their chemo- and radio-sensitizing properties. The peoples of South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan have a large number of medicinal plants from which they produce various pharmacologically potent secondary metabolites. The medicinal properties of these compounds have been extensively investigated and many of them have been found to sensitize cancer cells to chemo- and radio-therapy. This review focuses on the role of South Asian medicinal compounds in chemo- and radio-sensitizing properties in drug- and radio-resistant cancer cells. Also discussed is the role of South Asian medicinal plants in protecting normal cells from radiation, which may be useful during radiotherapy of tumors to spare surrounding normal cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar Tamilnadu 608002, India. drprasadnr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N Rajendra
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar Tamilnadu 608002, India. janakganesh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ganesan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muthusamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar Tamilnadu 608002, India. mohanabiogene@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shanmugam
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. ambudkar@helix.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Suresh V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Ambudkar
keywords: ABC transporter; South Asian plants; chemoresistance; phytochemicals; radioresistance