A Review of Cytotoxic Plants of the Indian Subcontinent and a Broad-Spectrum Analysis of Their Bioactive Compounds

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#antineoplastic-agents #apoptosis #cell-line-tumor #humans #molecular-structure

A Review of Cytotoxic Plants of the Indian Subcontinent and a Broad-Spectrum Analysis of Their Bioactive Compounds

Mazumder et al., 2020 | Molecules | Meta Analysis

Citation

Mazumder Kishor, Biswas Biswajit, ... Fukase Koichi. A Review of Cytotoxic Plants of the Indian Subcontinent and a Broad-Spectrum Analysis of Their Bioactive Compounds. Molecules. 2020-Apr-20;25(8). doi:10.3390/molecules25081904

Abstract

Cancer or uncontrolled cell proliferation is a major health issue worldwide and is the second leading cause of deaths globally. The high mortality rate and toxicity associated with cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy have encouraged the investigation of complementary and alternative treatment methods, such as plant-based drugs. Moreover, over 60% of the anti-cancer drugs are molecules derived from plants or their synthetic derivatives. Therefore, in the present review, an attempt has been made to summarize the cytotoxic plants available in the Indian subcontinent along with a description of their bio-active components. The review covers 99 plants of 57 families as well as over 110 isolated bioactive cytotoxic compounds, amongst which at least 20 are new compounds. Among the reported phytoconstituents, artemisinin, lupeol, curcumin, and quercetin are under clinical trials, while brazilin, catechin, ursolic acid, β-sitosterol, and myricetin are under pharmacokinetic development. However, for the remaining compounds, there is little or no information available. Therefore, further investigations are warranted on these subcontinent medicinal plants as an important source of novel cytotoxic agents.

Key Findings

Therefore, further investigations are warranted on these subcontinent medicinal plants as an important source of novel cytotoxic agents.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Spectrum Analysis

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Review
  • Vertical: quercetin

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09