Phytosterols as a natural anticancer agent: Current status and future perspective.
Phytosterols are naturally occurring compounds in plants, structurally similar to cholesterol. The human diet is quite abundant in sitosterol and campesterol. Phytosterols are known to have various bioactive properties including reducing intestinal cholesterol absorption which alleviates blood LDL-cholesterol and cardiovascular problems. It is indicated that phytosterol rich diets may reduce cancer risk by 20%. Phytosterols may also affect host systems, enabling antitumor responses by improving immune response recognition of cancer, affecting the hormone dependent endocrine tumor growth, and by sterol biosynthesis modulation. Moreover, phytosterols have also exhibited properties that directly inhibit tumor growth, including reduced cell cycle progression, apoptosis induction, and tumor metastasis inhibition. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on occurrences, chemistry, pharmacokinetics and potential anticancer properties of phytosterols in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, anticancer effects of phytosterols have strongly been suggested and support their dietary inclusion to prevent and treat cancers.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: shahzadnaiyer@gmail.com.
Naiyer
N
Shahzad
Department of Basic Sciences, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Wajahatullah
W
Khan
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Jalil Perkasa, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Shadab
S
Md
Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, India.
Asgar
A
Ali
Department of GI Surgery, GB Pant Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Sundeep Singh
SS
Saluja
Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, India.
Sadhana
S
Sharma
Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Faisal A
FA
Al-Allaf
Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Zainularifeen
Z
Abduljaleel
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Ibrahim Abdel Aziz
IAA
Ibrahim
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Ali Fathi
AF
Abdel-Wahab
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed Abdelaziz
MA
Afify
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Saeed Saeed
SS
Al-Ghamdi
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010840:Phytosterols
Anticancer effect of sterols; Campesterol; Dietary phytosterols; Dietary phytosterols and cancer; Phytosterols; Phytosterols and cancer