Natural Compounds as Scaffolds for the Discovery of New Anti-Cancer Drugs: Focus on Terpenoids and Flavonoids

By Valeria P. Sulsen

Cancer is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of tumor cells in the body, resistance to cell death and other hallmarks that lead to the development of a tumor mass with potential to metastasize and spread to the body. It is the second cause of death worldwide and it is estimated that there were more than 9.9 million deaths in 2020 due to cancer. Many of the drugs that are currently used in therapeutics originate from natural compounds. More than 60% of the agents available to treat cancer are connected to natural sources. Examples include vincristine, vinblastine, podophyllotoxin, paclitaxel, among others.

Although chemotherapy is one of the best treatments for cancer, the drugs used have serious side effects and have shown increasing resistance. For this reason, it is necessary to look for new, more effective and selective drugs with fewer adverse effects. Natural products have played an important role in the discovery and development of new drugs. Despite advances and the development of synthetic pharmaceutical chemistry, drugs derived from natural sources continue to hold a prominent position. The great chemical diversity they present determines that there is a greater possibility of finding new molecules with unique structures and potential biological activities.

Natural compounds such as terpenoids and flavonoids have attracted the interest of many researchers. Sesquiterpene lactones and diterpenoids have shown to be a promising group of potential antitumor agents due to their preferential selectivity over certain tumors and cell lines additionally acting on specific signaling pathways. Flavonoids have demonstrated a preventive effect in the development and progress of cancer and metastasis. These compounds have also been shown to improve the effectiveness of current chemotherapies.

This Research Topic focuses on natural compounds as scaffolds for the discovery of new anti-cancer drugs. Terpenoids and flavonoids are the chemical groups of great interest, however, other types of compounds of natural origin could be considered for publication. The Research Topic will cover natural compounds as well as semisynthetic derivatives with activity on any type of cancer.

 We welcome submissions covering, but not limited to, the following sub-topics:

- Isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from natural sources
- Biological activity of known or previously isolated natural compounds
- In vitro and in vivo assays
- Mechanism of action of natural compounds
- Drug design and drug synthesis

Extracts and functional foods will be considered if at least one active compound has been detected and quantified. Anti-cancer modalities of natural products demonstrated using in-vivo models must be supported in at least two well-authenticated cancer cell lines (ideally originating from distinct organs/tissues).

Fonte: Frontier 

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