ABSTRACT
The tumor microenvironment is composed of various types of cells that lead to tumor heterogeneity. In the middle of these populations, cancer stem cells play a vital role in the initiation and progression of cancer cells and are capable of self-renewal and differentiation processes. These cancer stem cells are resistant to conventional therapy such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To eradicate the cancer stem cells in the tumor environment, various natural product has been found in recent years. In this review, we have selected some of the natural products based on anticancer potential including targeting cancer cells and cancer stem cells. Further, this review explains the molecular mechanism of action of these natural products in various cancer stem cells. Therefore, targeting a multi-drug resistant cancer stem cell by natural products is a novel method to reduce drug resistance and adverse effect during conventional therapy.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/therapeutic use , Diet , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplastic Stem Cells/drug effects , Phytochemicals/therapeutic use , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/adverse effects , Diet/adverse effects , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm , Humans , Neoplasms/metabolism , Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism , Neoplastic Stem Cells/pathology , Phytochemicals/adverse effects , Tumor MicroenvironmentABSTRACT
Ethanol intoxication increases oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory proteins, which cause neurodegeneration. Morin is a natural flavonoid obtained from plants of the Moraceae family that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anticancer and cardioprotective properties. We investigated the neuroprotective effect of morin on ethanol intoxicated rats. Rats exposed to ethanol exhibit increased cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, free fatty acids, and lipid oxidative byproducts, and decreased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and membrane ATPase. We found that ethanol increased activation of microglia and astrocytes in the brain. Administration of morin to rats exposed to ethanol significantly decreased lipid oxidative byproducts, enhanced antioxidant enzymes, normalized lipid levels and decreased microglia and astrocyte activation. Morin exhibits neuroprotective properties against ethanol intoxication by increasing the antioxidant defense mechanism and decreasing the inflammatory response caused by neuroglia and astrocytes.
