Nature curing cancer – review on structural modification studies with natural active compounds having anti-tumor efficiency

Abstract

Cancer treatment has raised many drugs and radiation therapies whose side-effects are visible. Ongoing research throughout the world for effective treatment mainly concentrates on methods either in the form of drugs or therapies against this lethal disease. However returning to ayurvedic roots enlightens the fact that nature has many efficient components with anti-cancerous, anti-proliferating and anti-angiogenesis effects. Evidences confirm the participation of plants extracts in synthesizing many medicines against already existing and even emerging diseases. Structure activity relationship (SAR) studies and structural modifications are helping in observing the basis of compounds characteristics to exhibit inhibitor’s nature against carcinogenic agents by modifying parent compounds for creating an improved and potent compound. Many components are under clinical trials but most of them still need attention. In this review an attempt has been made to focus on the natural components gifted by nature and even included in our diet with their structures and sources that could be supportive in designing drug either by computational methods or by experimental methods.

Keywords

• Cancer
• Structure–activity relationship studies
• Natural anti-cancer agents
• Cytotoxicity
• Anti-proliferating activity