Dietary and non-dietary phytochemicals in cancer control

Abstract

Cancer is the constantly increasing and a life threatening disease condition that contributes approximately13% in total death per year throughout the world. Constant efforts are being made to explore the existing therapies as well as to understand the disease processes. However, due to the ineffectiveness or limitation of present therapeutics, a new strategy, cancer chemoprevention has been come up which mainly involves the use of phytochemicals present in regular dietary system or non-dietary plants. Studies with phytochemicals suggest their potency with comparatively low toxicity or more effectiveness than chemically synthesized drugs. Phytochemicals like EGCG, silibinin, IP6, curcumin, genistein, luteolin and resveratrol which are present in normal diet in variable amount have shown cancer anticancer efficacy. Non-dietary phytochemicals like carnosol, 5-deoxykaempferol, rooibos tea, deguelin have also shown their abilities to act as both therapeutic and preventive agents. Their chemopreventive mechanisms have also been shown in many cancer models, however, more studies are needed to for its clear understanding as well as for their clinical significance. Herein, we have discussed the chemopreventive activities and mechanisms of action of selected phytochemicals. Overall, novel phytochemicals with chemopreventive activity are expected to play an important role in cancer control.