Bioactive natural products against prostate cancer: mechanism of action and autophagic/apoptotic molecular pathways

Planta Med. 2015 May;81(7):543-62. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1545845. Epub 2015 Apr 15.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide for men. There is increasing evidence that diet and lifestyle play a crucial role in prostate cancer biology and tumorigenesis. Due to the fact that conventional chemotherapy is not adequately effective against prostate cancer and has severe side effects, numerous in vitro studies have been conducted in order to identify the potent cytotoxic or chemopreventive activity of naturally occurring compounds and their respective molecular mechanisms of action. In this context, many natural compounds isolated from plants have been found to inhibit cancer growth and to induce cell cycle arrest, suppress angiogenesis, and promote apoptotic or autophagic cell death. Therefore, in this article, the most promising bioactive natural products and their respective mechanisms of action for the prevention or/and treatment of prostate cancer are presented.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Magnoliopsida*
  • Male
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / prevention & control
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / prevention & control

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Plant Extracts