Overview of the antineoplasic agents having vegetal origin

ABSTRACT

Nature has been a source of medical treatments for thousands of years, and plant based systems continue to play an essential role in the primary health care of 80% of the world’ population. Nature has provided many of the effective anticancer agents in current use, such as the microbial derived drugs, dactinomycin, bleomycin, and doxorubicin, and the plant derived drugs vinblastine, irinotecan, topotecan, etoposide and paclitaxel. The search for novel anti-cancer from nature source continues with botanists, marine biologists and microbiologist team-ing up with chemists, pharmacologist, toxicologists and clinicans in the investigation of coral reefs, rain forests, and deep subsurface thermal vents for novel bioactive compounds. The wealth of anticancer drugs of nature origin and critical aspects of the ongoing discovery and development process are discussed.