Medincinal Plants: Cancer Treatments

Cytotoxic

kill cancerous cell, prevent cancer cells from dividing and proliferating

Rosy Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)

annual, native to Madagascar, secondary products vinblastine and vincristine

historic use of Rosy periwinkle

anti-diabetic (madagascar), treat /substitue for insulin (Caribbean), lower blood sugar (south Africa/philippines/southern europe), treat diabetes and rheumatism (south africa), treat hemorrages and scury (Brazil)

Robert Noble and Charles Beer (uni western ontario)

investigated pharmacological properties of rosy periwinkle, no benefit to diabetes, extract lowered white blood cell count, reduced bone marrow activity, prompted investigation effects against leukemia

Vineblastine and vincristine

from rosy periwinkle, anti cancer vinca alkaloids

cancer vineblastine treats

Hodgkin’s disease, choriocarcinoma, neoplasms

cancer vinecristine treats

acute childhood leukemia

vinorelbrine

semi-synthetic vinca alkaloid, treats breats and non-small cell lung cancer

Vinca alkaloids

interfer with formation of spindle fibers, vineblastine/vinechristine/vinorelbine

Pecific Yew (Taxus brevifolia)

coniferous understory tree, native coast and intermountain regions ofwestern north america, bark used for cancer treatment ( need unsustainable amount), secondary producttaxol (paclitaxel)

historic use of Pacific yew

indigenous groups, use bark to treat stomach aches, Tsimshian used bark extract to treat cancerous tumours

Bower Manuscript

4-6th century, Sanskrit compilation of early indian medicine, mention yew as cancer treatment (ayurveic and chinese medicine)

taxol (paclitaxel)

extract from pacific yew bark, alkaloid, treat ovarian/breast/prostate cancer

semi-synthetic paclitaxel

used 10-deacetyl baccatin III precursor, from related European yew (Taxus baccata), use leaves and small branches (hedgerow)

Mayapple or american Mandrake (Podophyllum peltatum)

understory herbaceous plant, native eastern north america, used rhizomes medically, poisonous, secondary product podophyllotoxin

historic use of Mayapple (america mandrake)

indigenous groups used as powerful laxative, american colonies used to treat venereal warts and cancerous tumour/polyps

podophyllotoxin

from mayapple, lignans, to toxic for cancer treatments, anti mitotic (bind tublin),potent viral agent, tropical treatment of warts

Teniposide

semi-synthetic derived from podophyllotoxin, treatment for childhood leukemia

Etoposide

semi-synthetic derived from podophyllotoxin, treats leukemia, lymphoma, brain and bladder tumors

teniposide and etoposide mode of action

inhibition of topoisomerase I

Tree of Joy (Camptotheca acuminata)

decidus tree, native southern china/Tibet, known as Xi Chu, bark/root/fruit used medically, secondary product camptothecin

historic use of tree of joy

bark/root/fruit used,treating carcinomas of stomach/rectum/colon/bladder

camptothecin

from tree of joy, alkaloid, treat gastrointestinal tumours, severe size effect

semi synthetic camptothecin analogues

Topotecan, irinotecan, lurtotecan, exatecan, inhibit action of topoisomerase I, some anti viral activity (treating AIDS)

topotecan

semi synthetic camptothecin analogue, treat ovarian cancer

irinotecan

semi synthetic camptothecin analogue, treat colorectal cancers

Lurtotecan and exatecan

semi synthetic camptothecin analogue, treatment leukemia/ lymphoma/ cancer of CNS/breast cancer

Petty spurge (euphorbia peplus)

annual, euphorb (euphorbiaceae/Spurge family), native Europe and western Asia, home remedy for skin lesion and cancer (basal cell carcinomas), sap used, secondary product ingenol mebutate

ingenol mebutate

from petty spurge, diterpenoid ester, treatment actinic kerataosis andbasal cell carcinomas, applied as gel, inflammatory and immuno-stimulant properties

ingenol mebutate mode of action

targets subepidermal vasculature of skin cancer tumours

Dysoxylum (dysoxylum binectariferum)

tree species, Meliaceae (mahogany) family, native Indian subcontinent, fruit used medicinally, secondary product rohitukine

Rohitukine

chromane alkaloid, from bark of D.binectiferum, basis of 100+ semi synthetic analogs

Flavopiridol (alvocidib)

semi-synthetic analog of rohitukine, anti-cancer drug, powerful inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinases, induces cell death/cell growth inhibitor, orphan status

use of flavopiridol

treat ovarian/breast/lung cancer, testing treating leukemia and lymphoma, esophageal/lung/liver cancer, treat rheumatoid arthritis, anti viral agent, contraceptive drug, treat acute myeloid leukemia

Plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonii)

coniferous tree, native to Japan and korea, anti-tumor activity in bark extracts, secondary product omacetaxine

omacetaxine

from plum yew bark, anti-leukemia alkaloid, treat chronic myelogenous leukemia for those with imatinb resistant, inhibit elongation of protein synthesis

imatinib

synethic drug from omacetaxine, treatment chronic myelogenous leukemia, resistant can be built to it

Maytenus

genus of woody plant species, found in tropics (south amercia and africa), used for treating cancer-like symptoms

Maytenus serrata

shrub native to Ethiopia, fruit extract used, anti tumor activity agaisnt leukemia and solid melanoma tumors

Maytenus buchananii

vine-like species, native to kenya, contains more of secondary product maytansine

maytansine

anti-cancer alkaloid, ansamycin-type macrolide, antimicrobial properties, anti-mitotic (binding tublin and inhibiting), dangerous side effects (CNS toxicity)

tissue-specific targeted delivery

carrier molecules delivers cytotoxic agent to tumor, tumor reactive monoclonal antibodies w/ high affinity for receptor on cancer cell, need antibody-drug conjugates

maytansine semi-synthetic derivatives

mertansine and emtansine, thiols-conatining, linked antibodies

antibody-maytansinoid conjugates

trastuzumab emtasine and lorvotuzumba mertansine

trastuzumab emtasine

antibody-maytansinoid conjugate, stop cancer cell growth by binding HER2/neu antigen, treat metastatic breast cancer of tumor recurrence

lorvotuzumab mertansine

antibody-maytansinoid, treat small cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer, orphan status for Merkel cell cercinoma