Natural Anti-Cancer Products

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on natural anti-cancer products.

Natural Drugs

Drugs derived from natural sources such as plants, animals, or fungi.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

An example of a molecule isolated from a natural source used as a drug.

Dietary Supplement

A product that cannot claim to cure or treat a disease and does not require FDA testing.

FDA

Food and Drug Administration, the authority that rigorously tests natural drugs for safety and effectiveness.

Chemotherapy

An aggressive form of chemical drug therapy used to destroy rapidly growing cells, primarily to treat cancer.

Vinca Alkaloids

A class of natural chemotherapy drugs derived from the periwinkle plant.

Vincristine

A common example of a vinca alkaloid that blocks cell division by inhibiting microtubule formation.

Microtubules

Structures that aid in the migration of chromosomes during cell division.

Paclitaxel

A commonly used chemotherapeutic drug derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree that affects cell division.

Cancer Risk Reduction

Strategies including exercise, maintaining ideal weight, and eating a healthy diet to lower the risk of cancer.

Aerobic Exercise

Exercise that should be performed for 75 to 150 minutes per week to reduce cancer risk.

High Fiber Diet

A diet that may help reduce colon cancer risk and includes plant foods known for their cancer preventative properties.

Red Meat Consumption

Linked to an increase in colon cancer risk.