Therapeutic and Anticancer Properties of Nerium oleander-A Poison as Medicine

Abstract

Cancer is a heterogeneous disease and ranks among the most pressing health concerns faced by humans and requires a proactive treatment approach. Plants are a rich source of compounds and offer a promising avenue for cancer research. Chemotherapy has so far been effective, but it comes with some very unpleasant side effects. Nerium oleander, an evergreen plant cultivated throughout the world, has many metabolites, including cardiac glycosides, phenols, saponins and terpenoids. The plant and its derivatives have been an essential component of traditional medicine for treating several ailments from the beginning of time, notably cancer, diabetes mellitus, asthma, and cardiac disease. However, the scientific community has not gone much further into the information. This review aims to understand the therapeutic applications of N. oleander, focusing on cancer. The leaf extract, anvirzel and PBI-05204 has entered clinical trials and other derivates like oleandrin and breast in are still under in-vitro and in-vivo studies. In order to combat cancer, the plant operates on several cancer-related signaling pathways, including the Akt mTOR downstream pathway.