ASSOSA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY
COURSE TITTLE: PHARMACOGNOSY
GROUP-3 ASSIGNMENT
NAME: IDNO

1. AHMED SEID…………………..………RU/0265/14
2. AYSHESHIM HAILLE…………………RU/0558/14
3. BADER AZEN…………………………..RU/3308/14
4. BETELHEM KELIBESSA…………...RU/3197/14
5. HABTAMU MOLA……………………..RU/1484/14
6. HAILU GIRMA…………………………RU/1502/14
7. HANAN MOHAMMED…………….…..RU/1552/14
8. HAWA MUHABIE……………………...RU/1575/14
9. LOZAMARYAM ASSEFA……………...RU/1964/14
10. MUKTAR AHMED………………….….RU/2294/14

SUBMITTED TO; MR. MELKAMU G.

SUBMISSION DATE:- 01/04/2016
ASSOSA, ETHIOPIA

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 Natural compounds and cancer
Introduction
Natural products have anti-cancerous potential due to the occurrence of natural
antioxidants carrying out as reducing agents, free radical scavengers and quenchers of
singlet oxygen. Greater part of their antioxidant action is due to bioactive compounds
viz. flavones, isoflavones, flavonoids, anthocyanins, coumarins, lignans, catechins and
isocatechins as well natural products can reduce or minimize the toxic side effect of
chemotherapy and radiation treatment by reinforcing their cancer killing action.
Significant assistance has been made by They worked out the cytotoxic activity of
medicinal plants and studied their anti-proliferative activity against cancer. In the
present time natural products are considered to be symbols of protection in comparison
to the synthetic product that are regarded as unsafe to human life and environment that
is by natural products had been priced for their medicinal importance.
The development of cancer registries throughout the world has led to a search for novel
drugs that are toxic to the cancer cells while having no harmful effect on normal cells.
The anticancer drugs used previously exhibited relatively high toxicity not only to the
tumour cells, but also to the normal cells of the body part in which the cancer had
developed. Currently, the search for novel anticancer drugs is being conducted among
terrestrial plants, as well as in marine environments. Plants have been used for
centuries to treat diseases. In various parts of the world, several plants are consumed
for their health benefits as a part of traditional folk medicine. The increase in the
incidence of various types of cancer creates a need for new anticancer drugs. One
approach is to obtain these substances through extractions from the plant materials.
Another approach is to use biotechnological tools to produce plant-derived anticancer
compounds. The substances of natural origin that exhibit antitumour properties belong
to various groups of compounds, such as alkaloids, diterpenes, diterpenoquinone,
purine-based compounds, lactonic sesquiterpene, peptides, cyclic depsipeptide,
proteins, macrocyclic polyethers, etc. The presented substances can be used alone or
in combination with other antineoplastic agents of natural origin or with synthesized
drugs. The work presents known anticancer drugs that have been approved for use, as
well as new analogies and other less known substances with anti-cancer properties that
may be considered as potential chemotherapy drugs.

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 Advantages to study Natural compounds as anticancers
There are three main reasons why natural compounds are worth studying. First, natural
compounds that show anticancer potential fit into the mechanism-based approach as
perfectly as a hand fits into a glove. All the natural compounds discussed in this book
have been reported to inhibit cancer. Although most of the information available comes
from preclinical (test tube and animal) studies, as is the case with most new
mechanism-based drugs, some human studies have also been conducted. There is
solid evidence that these compounds inhibit cancer by interfering with one or more of
the mechanisms that researchers now feel are central to cancer progression. In fact,
some of the natural compounds discussed here have been used as probes in studies
that unraveled the mechanisms of cancer progression.
Second, although the future does look bright for eventual success in the fight against
cancer, we are not there yet. Much more work remains to be done. As a science, the
field of natural compound research can contribute to a greater understanding of cancer
and a faster development of successful therapies.
Third, they are already being used in cancer treatment (and in the treatment of other
diseases). For better or for worse, hundreds of thousands if not millions of patients
around the world are experimenting with natural compounds in their efforts to heal
themselves of cancer.

Disadvantages to study Natural compounds as anticancers

Certainly, natural compounds have received some research attention, as is evidenced
by the many studies in this book. But this is still a small number of studies compared to
what is needed. There appear to be two main reasons why research is still lacking.
First, structure patents, granted for new and unique chemical structures, are impossible
to obtain for the natural compounds discussed here, since their structures are already
common knowledge. For this reason, these compounds are not generally thought of as
profitable. Use patents, granted for a new and unique use of a compound, are
somewhat easier to obtain for natural compounds, but these patents are less valuable
than structure patents. The ability to obtain a patent, especially a structure patent, is a
very important aspect of drug development. A massive number of studies are required
to test a drug and get it approved for market, and the cost of these studies can be many
millions, possibly hundreds of millions of dollars. Pharmaceutical companies recoup this
investment by either licensing their patent to other manufacturers or by acting as the
sole manufacturer themselves. Since a large portion of the total research money
available comes from pharmaceutical companies, the natural compounds discussed in
this book have not received the full attention they deserve a Second, adequate attention
is not given to the natural compounds discussed in this because none are likely to
become the “silver bullet” miracle cancer cure for which everyone has been searching.
In fact, when used alone, the inhibitory effects of most of these compounds would be
considered modest at best. Their true potential will be realized only when they are used
in synergistic combinations.

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 Natural -Derived Anti-Cancer Agents
In the endeavour to discover effective drugs for the treatment of various cancerous
diseases, the natural kingdoms, especially the plant kingdom, have been extensively
researched. The research involved has been enormous and although the number of
successful outcomes appears very modest, the effective drugs produced rank among
the most common chemotherapeutic agents employed. Also, the wide diversity and
complexity of the compounds isolated have afforded valuable material for the
manufacture of semi-synthetic derivatives, often less toxic and clinically superior to the
original isolate.
It has been estimated (2005) that over 60% of the anticancer drugs in current use are in
some way derived from plants and microorganisms; marine products are in the process
of evaluation. A successful anticancer drug should kill or incapacitate cancer cells
without causing excessive damage to normal dividing cells. This ideal is difficult, or
perhaps impossible, to attain and is why cancer patients frequently suffer unpleasant
side-effects when undergoing treatment.
Here are some of the natural compounds that have been shown to have anticancer
effects:

 Taxanes: These compounds are derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree (Taxus
brevifolia) and are used to treat breast, lung, and ovarian cancer.
 Vinca alkaloids: These compounds are derived from the periwinkle plant
(Catharanthus roseus) and are used to treat leukemia, lymphoma, and breast
cancer.
 Artemisinin: This compound is derived from the Chinese herb sweet wormwood
(Artemisia annua) and is used to treat malaria. It has also been shown to have some
anticancer effects.
 Flavonols: These compounds are found in many fruits and vegetables, and they
have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. For example, quercetin, a
flavonoid found in onions and apples, has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer
cells.
 Resveratrol: This compound is found in grapes, red wine, and other foods, and it has
been shown to have anti-cancer properties. It is thought to work by blocking the
growth of cancer cells and by stimulating their death.

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Table of anticancer drugs of natural origin:

Mechanism of
Natural compound Origin Cancer type(s)
action

Pacific yew tree (Taxus Breast, lung, Inhibits cell

Paclitaxel
brevifolia) ovarian cancer division

Leukemia,
Periwinkle plant Inhibits cell
Vincristine lymphoma, breast
(Catharanthus roseus) division
cancer

Madagascar periwinkle Breast, lung,

Doxorubicin Damages DNA
(Catharanthus roseus) bladder cancer

Naturally occurring metal Ovarian, testicular,

Cisplatin Damages DNA
compound lung cancer

Naturally occurring sugar Pancreatic, breast

Gemcitabine Damages DNA
compound cancer

Camptotheca acuminata Colorectal, lung Inhibits cell

Irinotecan
tree cancer division

Topoisomerase I Ovarian, lung, Inhibit cell

Various plants and fungi
inhibitors breast cancer division

Topoisomerase II Camptotheca acuminata Ovarian, lung Inhibit cell

inhibitors tree cancer division

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 Naturally Occurring Carcinogens
The production of toxic compounds by living cells has long been recognized. Some of
these chemicals, especially those produced by microbes and plant cells, have
carcinogenic activity. Although some of these compounds are integral components of
foods that are relatively common in the diet of humans, many of them have been found
either in unusual food sources or in foods contaminated by microorganisms or
unwanted plant materials. The potential hazards to human health posed by these
components or contaminants of foods range from slight to very great. For example, very
low levels of exposure to chemicals with relatively weak carcinogenic activity in
laboratory animals may pose little risk to human populations. On the other hand, the
presence of aflatoxin B1 in foods is a matter of great concern, since aflatoxin B1 is a
potent carcinogen for a number of species and epidemiological data suggest that this
carcinogen may play a role in the development of cancer in humans living in some parts
of Africa and in the Far East.
Much of the literature on the carcinogenic products of living cells has been collected and
evaluated by working groups of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (1976)
and by the National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences, 1973).
Accordingly, these comprehensive reviews are often cited in this chapter instead of the
primary literature. In addition, several recent reviews on naturally occurring carcinogens
include exhaustive lists of primary references pertaining to these carcinogens. The
overviews also cite literature on certain aspects of these carcinogens not covered in this
chapter, such as their metabolic activation and deactivation, the reactions of
electrophilic derivatives with cellular macromolecules, and the biochemical and
biological consequences of the latter reactions.
Some Of the natural compounds that have been shown to have carcinogenic effects are:

 Aflatoxin: This compound is produced by fungi that grow on moldy food, and it is a known
carcinogen. It can cause liver cancer.
The aflatoxin-producing molds Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus are ubiquitous. They are
frequently encountered as outgrowths on stored commodities under conditions prevailing in
many tropical areas.
 Benzo(a)pyrene: This compound is found in tobacco smoke and other environmental
pollutants, and it is a known carcinogen. It can cause lung cancer.
 N-nitroso compounds: These compounds are formed when certain chemicals react with
nitrogen, and they are known carcinogens. They can cause a variety of cancers, including
stomach cancer.

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Table of natural compounds that are known carcinogens:

Mechanism of
Natural compound Origin Cancer type(s)
action

Fungi that grow on

Aflatoxin Liver cancer Damages DNA
moldy food

Tobacco smoke,
Benzo(a)pyrene environmental Lung cancer Damages DNA
pollutants

Formed when certain Stomach cancer,

N-nitroso
chemicals react with nasopharyngeal Damages DNA
compounds
nitrogen cancer

Naturally occurring Lung, skin, bladder

Arsenic Damages DNA
element cancer

Helicobacter pylori Naturally occurring Produces

Stomach cancer
bacteria bacteria carcinogens

UV radiation Sunlight, tanning beds Skin cancer Damages DNA

SUMMARY

While natural compounds often offer health benefits, some can act as carcinogens,
contributing to cancer development. Understanding their mechanisms of action and
clinical implications can aid in the development of effective treatments and preventative

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strategies for cancer management. The anticancer effects of natural compounds are still
being investigated. More research is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of
natural compounds for cancer prevention and treatment.
Aflatoxin B1, produced by certain fungi, induces DNA damage in liver cells and is linked
to hepatocellular carcinoma. Tobacco smoke, with its various carcinogenic components,
is a major risk factor for lung, oral, and other cancers. Exposure to UV radiation from
sunlight can cause DNA damage and increase the risk of skin cancer. Arsenic, a
naturally occurring element, interferes with DNA repair mechanisms and promotes
genomic instability, leading to various cancers. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a
chemical contaminant, can metabolize into reactive species that damage DNA,
potentially leading to gastrointestinal and liver cancers.

REFERENCES
 Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy, William Charles Evans,
Sixteenth edition.

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  Anticancer Natural Products: A Review Ranwa A. Elrayess, PhD;
Heba N. Gad El-Hak, PhD.
 Natural Products/Bioactive Compounds as a Source of
Anticancer Drugs Syeda Tasmia Asma, Ulas Acaroz, Kálmán
Imre.
 Natural Compounds in Cancer Therapy, John Boik