Current Perspectives of the Applications of Polyphenols and Flavonoids in Cancer Therapy.

Xavier Montané, Oliwia Kowalczyk, Belen Reig-Vano, Anna Bajek, Krzysztof Roszkowski, Remigiusz Tomczyk, Wojciech Pawliszak, Marta Giamberini, Agnieszka Mocek-Płóciniak, Bartosz Tylkowski

Journal: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) 2021;25(15):3342

PMID: 32717865

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Abstract

The development of anticancer therapies that involve natural drugs has undergone exponential growth in recent years. Among the natural compounds that produce beneficial effects on human health, polyphenols have shown potential therapeutic applications in cancer due to their protective functions in plants, their use as food additives, and their excellent antioxidant properties. The possibility of combining conventional drugs-which are usually more aggressive than natural compounds-with polyphenols offers very valuable advantages such as the building of more efficient anticancer therapies with less side effects on human health. This review shows a wide range of trials in which polyphenolic compounds play a crucial role as anticancer medicines alone or in combination with other drugs at different stages of cancer: cancer initiation, promotion, and growth or progression. Moreover, the future directions in applications of various polyphenols in cancer therapy are emphasized.

Address: Department of Chemical Engineering, University Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, Campus Sescelades, 43007 Tarragona, Spain.; Research and Education Unit for Communication in Healthcare Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, M. Curie Sklodowskiej St. 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.; Kazimierz Wielki University, Jagiellonska St. 11, 95-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland.; Department of Tissue Engineering Chair of Urology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Karlowicza St. 24, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland.; Department of Oncology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Romanowskiej St. 2, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland.; Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, M. Curie Sklodowskiej St. 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.; Department of General and Environmental Microbiology, University of Life Sciences Poznan, ul. Szydłowska 50, 60-656 Poznań, Poland.; Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya. Chemical Technologies Unit, Marcel·lí Domingo s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain.

DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153342

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https://medlineplus.gov/cancer.html

MeSH Terms: Antineoplastic Agents, Drug Synergism, Drug Therapy, Flavonoids, Humans, Neoplasms, Phytochemicals, Polyphenols