Introduction of cancer agents of natural origin

Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or
spread to other parts of the body.

Anticancer agents from Natural Origin

1- Aglaia foveolata

Botanical origin: Aglaia foveolata

Family: Meliaceae

Habitat: This plant is native to Malaysia , Indonesia and

Brunei.

Chemical Constituents:Silvestrol and its isomer Isosivestrol.

Uses:

 Its major constituents are used in the treatment of Cancer.

 Antibacterial
 Antiviral
 Antifungal

Reference:

DeVita VT, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA, editors. Cancer: Principles and Practice of
Oncology. 8. Lippincott-Williams & Wilkins; Philadelphia: 2008.
2-Lippia

Common name: Alecrim-da-chapada

Botanical origin: Lippia gracilis

Family: Verbenaceae

Habitat: This plant is native to Northeast Brazil.

Chemical Constituents: Nonvolatile constituents of L. gracilis include:

 flavone
 flavanones,

While the major volatile compounds are carvacrol, p-cymene, γ-

terpinene, thymol, and thymol methyl ether. In addition, three
different chemotypes such as thymol type (T), carvacrol type (C), and
intermediate type, which contains both carvacrol and thymol (CT), are
also found in high percentage.

Uses:

 Cytotoxic&Antitumor
 Anti-inflammatory&Antinociceptive
 Antioxidant&Antibacterial
 Fungicidal&Leishmanicidal

Reference:

Anticancer plants: Properties and Application Volume 1

Editors: Akhtar, Mohd Sayeed, Swamy, Mallappa Kumara (Eds.)

3-Angelica acutiloba

Common Name:Toki

Scientific Name: Angelica acutiloba

Family: Apiaceae

Habitat: It is predominately in Japan . It is now distributed widely and

cultivated in Jilin, China, Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia.

Chemical Constituents: It contain 2% volatile oils such as ligustilide, n-

butylidenephthalide, folic acid, linoleic acid, safrole, and isosafrole.

Uses:

It is used for:

 Epstein–Barr cancer
 skin(mice)
 Heartburn
 Insonomia
 Arthritis

Reference: Plants that Fight for Cancer Edited by Spiridon E. Kintzios and Maria G.
Barberaki
Graviola

Botanical origin: Annona muricata

Family: Annonaceae

Habitat:It is native to tropical areas of America.

Chemical constituentsd e: sabadelin (4), β-sitosterol (5),

stigmasterol (6), and triglyceri

Uses:

 Widely use in the treatment of cancer as this drug is effective in cancer cell killing.
 Antibacterial
 Antioxidant
 Antiinflammatory

Reference: Plants that Fight for Cancer Edited by Spiridon E. Kintzios and Maria G.
Barberaki