title: Emerging Cytotoxic Alkaloids in the Battle against Cancer: Overview of Molecular Mechanisms.
abstract: Considered as the second deadliest disease globally, cancer has captured the attention of researchers who have been trying with perseverance to decode its hidden aspects, to find new prognosis methods, and to develop better and more effective treatments. Plants have continuously offered an excess of unique secondary metabolites with remarkable biological applications. Alkaloids, one of the most abundant metabolites, constitute a large conglomerate of basic heterocyclic nitrogen-containing natural compounds which are normally produced by plants as toxic substances. Out of the 27,000 different alkaloids, more than 17,000 have displayed diversified pharmacological properties including anticancer activities. These metabolites have been classified either according to their chemical structures or their taxonomic origin. None of the researched alkaloids have been classified according to their molecular mechanism of action against cancer. In fact, only a fraction of the tremendous number of anticancer alkaloids has been copiously mentioned in journals. Here, we aim to provide a summary of the literature on some of the promising anticancer alkaloids that have not been well discussed previously and to classify them according to their molecular mechanisms of action. This review will provide a better understanding of the anticancer mechanisms of these promising natural products that are a rich reservoir for drug discovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. zeina1hb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zeina
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Habli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. gjt01@mail.aub.edu.
authors.forename: Georgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toumieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. mf53@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Maamoun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatfat
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Saba University School of Medicine, Saba, Dutch Caribbean 5016121, The Netherlands. omar2.rahal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Omar Nasser
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Rahal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. amro@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gali-Muhtasib
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D012106:Research; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001688:Biological Products; D020169:Caspases
keywords: alkaloids; apoptosis; cancer therapeutics; medicinal plants; molecular activity