Current Cancer Therapy Reviews - Volume 21, Issue 2, 2025

Atractylodes lancea Thunb. (Asteraceae) is a commonly used medicinal plant for gastric and appetite-associated complications in traditional Chinese medicine. The rhizome of Atractylodes lancea has been widely used for the treatment of human complications. Atractylodin has anti-angiogenic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-pyretic and anti-hypertensive potential in medicine. Nano-formulations of atractylodin were also prepared in the scientific field to enhance its water solubility and efficacy in cholangiocarcinoma.

Health-beneficial aspects of atractylodin in medicine have been investigated in the present work through collected scientific information on atractylodin from different literature databases. Scientific data on atractylodin has been collected from Google, Science Direct, Scopus, and PubMed. Further, detailed pharmacological activities and analytical aspects of atractylodin were discussed in this paper in order to know its biological potential in medicine. Analytical techniques of atractylodin were also discussed in the present work for separation, isolation, and identification of atractylodin.

Scientific data analysis signified the biological importance of Atractylodes lancea Thunb. and its active phytochemical atractylodin in medicine. Scientific data signified the presence of atractylodin in Atractylodes lancea, Atractylodes chinensis, Atractylodes japonica, Atractylodes macrocephala, Atractylodes ovate and Atractylodis Rhizoma. Atractylodin has a significant biological effect on cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory complications, GIT complications, hepatic complications, atopic dermatitis, aging process, neurodegenerative disease, calcified aortic valve disease, hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, body temperature, olfactory neurons, podocyte hypermotility and toxicity. Further, its anti-nociceptive, anti-fibrotic, anti-angiogenic, anti-virulence, anti-bacterial, insecticidal, lipase inhibitory potential, immunomodulatory, and positive inotropic effects were also discussed in the present paper. Analytical techniques for the separation, isolation and identification of atractylodin in different samples were also discussed in the present work.

The present work's scientific data signified the biological importance of atractylodin in medicine.

Flavonoids, one of the major bioactive constituents of herbal drugs, have been scientifically reported to possess diverse therapeutic potentials such as anticancer, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antioxidant, etc. This manuscript enlightens the anticancer potential of traditional herbal flavonoids in gynecological cancer i.e., is one of the major life-threats in women.

This manuscript is aimed at an insightful compilation of scientific substantiations of herbal flavonoids in gynecological cancer along with targeted drug delivery systems for the same.

The contents and data represented in the article have been reviewed using institutional libraries and online database resources (available in the public domain) such as PubMed, Science-Direct, Web of Science, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, Google Scholar, Hinari, SciFinder, Research Gate, etc.

Flavonoids are natural compounds and have potential against cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. In-vitro and in-vivo experiments have demonstrated the significant potential of flavonoids in gynecological cancer, especially cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. It was reported from in-vitro experimentations that targeted drug delivery system improves the anticancer effect of flavonoids.

Phytoflavonoids have the potential to prevent gynecological cancer by induction of apoptosis cell cycle arrest and reactive oxygen species generation. Further studies on the drug delivery system of flavonoids are warranted.

Skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer and is a serious concern to public health and the economy. Although, various treatment strategies are available but have several undesirable side effects. To combat these drawbacks, phytoconstituents or herbs can be the best choice. Uraria picta (prishniparni) is a potential herb used in various herbal formulations, important of which is Dasmularishta.

Thus, the present study aims to investigate the antioxidant and chemopreventive potential of U. picta root extract as an alternative for skin cancer prevention or treatment. The powdered plant material was successively extracted with petroleum ether, methanol, and water. The obtained methanol and aqueous extracts were studied for antioxidant activity via DPPH free radical scavenging assay using butylated hydroxytoluene as a standard. Both the extracts showed significant antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 9.17 and 15.6 µg/mL, respectively while BHT had IC50 value of 7.03 µg/mL. Female Swiss albino mice were selected for the study and randomly divided into 7 groups having 6 animals each. The skin carcinogenesis was induced using a single application of DMBA on dorsal shaved skin and promoted by applying croton oil twice weekly till the end of the study i.e. 16 weeks.

Both the extracts showed the chemopreventive potential in a dose-dependent manner. The most significant activity was observed with the methanol extract at 400 mg/kg, p.o. dose. The present study showed significant antioxidant and antitumorigenic activity of the methanol extract of U. picta roots against chemical-induced skin papillomagenesis.

The precise mechanism of action and constituents responsible for the activity are still under further study.

Bordeline Brenner tumors of the ovary are rare tumors accounting for 2% of all ovarian tumors and are characterized by the presence of papillary structures covered with transitional epithelium without or minimal stromal invasion.

In the present case report a 60-year-old postmenopausal woman presented with complaints of lower abdominal pain and a right ovarian mass of 4x5cm, which was diagnosed on histopathological examination as borderline Brenner tumor of the ovary. There were coexisting non-atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endocervical polyps of 1.2x0.9x0.6cm, indicating endometrial hyperstimulation as a result of estrogen secreted by the tumor. The patient was managed successfully with staging laparotomy and was diagnosed with stage I borderline Brenner tumor with non-atypical endometrial hyperplasia and benign endocervical polyp.

Borderline Brenner tumors are rare tumors of ovaries with uncertain malignant potential. They have no precise predictive markers but are known to produce estrogen. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for these tumors.