Abstract
Background: Essential oils are complex mixtures of low molecular weight compounds extracted from plants. Their main constituents are terpenes and phenylpropanoids, which are responsible for their biological and pharmaceutical properties, such as insecticidal, parasiticidal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antinociceptive, anticarcinogenic, and antitumor properties. Cancer is a complex genetic disease considered as a serious public health problem worldwide, accounting for more than 8 million deaths annually.
Objective: The activities of prevention and treatment of different types of cancer and the medicinal potential of essential oils are addressed in this review.
Conclusion: Several studies have demonstrated anti-carcinogenic and antitumor activity for many essential oils obtained from various plant species. They may be used as a substitution to or in addition to conventional anti-cancer therapy. Although many studies report possible mechanisms of action for essential oils compounds, more studies are necessary in order to apply them safely and appropriately in cancer therapy.
Keywords: Antitumor agents, natural products, secondary metabolites, terpenes, phenylpropanoids, essential oils.
Current Cancer Drug Targets
Title:Anticancer Properties of Essential Oils: An Overview
Volume: 18 Issue: 10
Author(s): Milene Aparecida Andrade, Mariana Aparecida Braga, Pedro Henrique Souza Cesar, Marcus Vinicius Cardoso Trento, Mariana Araújo Espósito, Lucilene Fernandes Silva and Silvana Marcussi*
Affiliation:
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais,Brazil
Keywords: Antitumor agents, natural products, secondary metabolites, terpenes, phenylpropanoids, essential oils.
Abstract: Background: Essential oils are complex mixtures of low molecular weight compounds extracted from plants. Their main constituents are terpenes and phenylpropanoids, which are responsible for their biological and pharmaceutical properties, such as insecticidal, parasiticidal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antinociceptive, anticarcinogenic, and antitumor properties. Cancer is a complex genetic disease considered as a serious public health problem worldwide, accounting for more than 8 million deaths annually.
Objective: The activities of prevention and treatment of different types of cancer and the medicinal potential of essential oils are addressed in this review.
Conclusion: Several studies have demonstrated anti-carcinogenic and antitumor activity for many essential oils obtained from various plant species. They may be used as a substitution to or in addition to conventional anti-cancer therapy. Although many studies report possible mechanisms of action for essential oils compounds, more studies are necessary in order to apply them safely and appropriately in cancer therapy.
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Cite this article as:
Andrade Aparecida Milene , Braga Aparecida Mariana, Cesar Henrique Souza Pedro , Trento Vinicius Cardoso Marcus , Espósito Araújo Mariana , Silva Fernandes Lucilene and Marcussi Silvana *, Anticancer Properties of Essential Oils: An Overview, Current Cancer Drug Targets 2018; 18 (10) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568009618666180102105843
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568009618666180102105843 |
Print ISSN 1568-0096 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5576 |
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