Mechanism of the Anti-cancer Action of Natural Dietary Compounds

Abstract

Cancer is a complicated disease with many puzzles of tumorigenesis remaining unsolved; however, there is strong evidence regarding the link between oxidative stress and cancer. The malignant transformation of cells requires the integration of many factors, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are dynamically implicated in each step of tumorigenesis. Moreover, ROS are involved in tumorigenesis not only within cancer cells, but also in the interplay between malignant and nonmalignant cells. Therefore, targeting oxidative stress could be a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of human malignancies. Numerous dietary natural compounds have long been recognized as attractive candidates for nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals because of their antioxidative properties. Natural dietary compounds exert their anticancer potential through ROS scavenging, metal chelation, inhibition of ROS production, and upregulation of antioxidants, which block oxidative damage, abnormal proliferation, inflammatory response, malignant progression, and metabolic reprogramming. Although the clinical efficacy and oral bioavailability are still being challenged, natural dietary compounds offer attractive promise for cancer treatment. Some dietary natural compounds, namely resveratrol, curcumin, tetrahydrocurcumin, and (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate which exhibit anticancer potential through their antioxidative effects, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of their actions, are summarized and discussed in this chapter.