title: A Review of the Potential of Phytochemicals fromPrunus africana(Hook f.) Kalkman Stem Bark for Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy of Prostate Cancer.
abstract: Prostate cancer remains one of the major causes of death worldwide. In view of the limited treatment options for patients with prostate cancer, preventive and treatment approaches based on natural compounds can play an integral role in tackling this disease. Recent evidence supports the beneficial effects of plant-derived phytochemicals as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents for various cancers, including prostate cancer.Prunus africanahas been used for generations in African traditional medicine to treat prostate cancer. This review examined the potential roles of the phytochemicals fromP. africana, an endangered, sub-Saharan Africa plant in the chemoprevention and chemotherapy of prostate cancer. In vitro and in vivo studies have provided strong pharmacological evidence for antiprostate cancer activities ofP. africana-derived phytochemicals. Through synergistic interactions between different effective phytochemicals,P. africanaextracts have been shown to exhibit very strong antiandrogenic and antiangiogenic activities and have the ability to kill tumor cells via apoptotic pathways, prevent the proliferation of prostate cancer cells, and alter the signaling pathways required for the maintenance of prostate cancer cells. However, further preclinical and clinical studies ought to be done to advance and eventually use these promising phytochemicals for the prevention and chemotherapy of human prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: University of Science & Technology (UST), Korean Medicine Life Science, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea; Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Yuseongdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea; Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute (NCRI), Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 4864, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Komakech
authors.affiliation: University of Science & Technology (UST), Korean Medicine Life Science, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea; Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Yuseongdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Youngmin
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0184-6115
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: University of Science & Technology (UST), Korean Medicine Life Science, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea; Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Yuseongdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Hwan
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5730-6869
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute (NCRI), Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 4864, Kampala, Uganda; Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Omujal