Translational role of natural coumarins and their derivatives as anticancer agents

Abstract

Natural coumarins and their derivatives isolated from various plants or microorganisms have inherent antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticancer properties among many biological activities. Some of these coumarins and their derivatives lead to self-programmed cancer cell death (apoptosis) via different mechanisms, which will be discussed. The link between bacterial and viral infections to cancer compels us to highlight fascinating reports from coumarin isolation from microorganisms; comment on the recent bioavailability studies of natural or derived coumarins; and discuss our perspectives with respect to bioisosterism in coumarins, p-glycoprotein inhibition and covalent modification, and bioprobes. Overall, this review hopes to stimulate and offer in particular medicinal chemists and the reader in general an outlook on natural coumarins and their derivatives with potential for cancer therapy.