Page 128 - EJMO-9-2

Eurasian Journal of Medicine and
Oncology
Anticancer effects of phytocomposites

1. Introduction coumarins, alkaloids, tannins, and amides, are bioactive
compounds found in plants that exhibit multi-dimensional
Oral cancer is a significant global health concern, ranking pharmacological effects. These compounds can serve as
as the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third effective chemotherapeutic agents due to their ability to
most prevalent cancer in India, where it accounts for nearly interact with cellular targets by selectively targeting cancer cells
40% of all cancers. In India, oral cancer is the leading cause and sparing healthy cells. This selective cytotoxic is achieved
of death and is particularly prevalent among men, making by modulating specific pathways, such as those involving the
it the most common cancer in this demographic. According epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cytokine receptors,
to Petersen, the age-standardized incidence rate of oral toll-like receptors, and tumor necrosis factor receptors,
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cancer in India is 12.6/100,000 people, with a rapidly which ultimately inhibit tumor cell proliferation and induce
increasing trend. Approximately 90% of oral malignancies programmed cell death. One of the most advantageous
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are oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The causes properties of phytocompounds is their strong antioxidant and
of OSCC are multifaceted, including smoking, chewing anti-inflammatory properties. These properties help reduce
tobacco, alcohol consumption, chronic inflammation, inflammation and reactive oxygen species, both of which
nutrient deficiencies, genetic mutations, infections, play critical roles in cancer development and progression.
dental neglect, poor oral hygiene, and alterations in oral Chronic inflammation creates a microenvironment that
microbiota. Current treatment options for OSCC include supports tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis, while free
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surgical excision of the cancerous tissue followed by radicals can initiate apoptosis in cancer cells or contribute
radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, these therapies
are limited by the disease’s heterogeneity and complex to cancer development if not involved in programmed
mechanisms, underscoring the need for advanced and cell death. Phytocompounds also regulate various cellular
alternative treatments. processes, including cell proliferation, cell cycle progression,
DNA repair, metabolism, metastasis, angiogenesis, and the
Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs used to treat activation or inactivation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor
OSCC, such as antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate), DNA genes. By inhibiting dysregulated factors in cancer cells,
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interactive agents (e.g., cisplatin and doxorubicin), anti- phytocompounds can enhance the effects of conventional
tubulin agents (e.g., taxanes), hormones, and molecular therapies or be developed into standalone treatments.
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targeting agents, have significant anticancer effects but are Their use as chemotherapeutic agents or adjuvants offers an
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often accompanied by severe adverse effects. These adverse improved therapeutic environment with reduced toxicity
effects, including recurrence, drug resistance, toxicity profiles and enhanced tolerance, potentially improving
to non-target tissues, diarrhea, tingling or numbness in the quality of life for patients undergoing chemotherapy,
the hands or feet, itchy skin, damage to the oral mucosa, reducing treatment interruptions, and encouraging long-
xerostomia, allergic reactions, memory issues, decreased term adherence.
kidney function, hearing loss or ringing in the ears,
nausea, vomiting, fatigue, decreased appetite, changes The cell cycle is a complex series of events that a cell
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in taste, alopecia, and constipation, significantly impair undergoes during its growth and division, regulated by
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the quality of life for post-operative patients. There is a several checkpoints to ensure proper progression. Proteins
pressing need for chemotherapeutic agents with fewer side controlling the cell cycle are encoded by oncogenes, with
effects and higher efficacy to improve patient outcomes. proto-oncogenes playing an important role in advancing
Recent scientific evidence highlights the potential of the cell cycle from the G (Gap) phase to either the S phase
phytocompounds as anticancer agents. Given their (DNA replication) or mitosis (chromosomal segregation).
diverse chemical composition and biological activities, Mutations in proto-oncogenes disrupt normal
phytocompounds have emerged as promising alternatives physiological processes, converting them into oncogenes
to widely used chemotherapeutic medications. that produce aberrant proteins. These proteins are
hyperactive, promoting tumor growth and development.
Phytocompounds play a variety of roles, including One such oncogene is rat sarcoma virus (RAS), a GTPase
acting as cofactors of enzymatic reactions, inhibitors molecule involved in signaling pathways that regulate cell
of enzymatic reactions, scavengers of reactive or toxic proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis.
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chemicals, enhancers of essential nutrient absorption, Harvey RAS (HRAS) is a member of the RAS superfamily
stabilizers of nutrients, selective inhibitors of deleterious and participates in the Ras-Raf-mitogen-activated protein
intestinal bacteria, and fermentation substrates for kinases (MAPK) and the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)
beneficial oral, gastric or intestinal bacteria. 6 pathways, which are critical for signal transduction and
Phytochemicals, including flavonoids, terpenoids, determining cellular life processes. Mutations in HRAS
polyphenols, chalcones, quinolones, quinones, sesquiterpenes, lead to dysregulation of these pathways contributing to

Volume 9 Issue 2 (2025) 120 doi: 10.36922/ejmo.7073