ABSTRACT

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonly used worldwide. Herbal medicines are the most preferred ways of CAM. It possesses a long history of patient tolerance, cheaper cost, fewer side effects, and availability in countries rich in agriculture conditions. The World Health Organization stated that about 80% of the world population is reported to rely on CAM for their primary health-care needs. Phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, polysaccharides, lactones, alkaloids, diterpenoids, and glycosides, present in these medicinal plants have been implicated for their wide margin of therapeutic effects. Even in developed countries, herbal medicine usage is gaining popularity. Several plant-derived compounds have been identified as important sources of several clinically useful anticancer agents, for instance, vinblastine, vincristine, camptothecin derivatives, topotecan and irinotecan, etoposide (derived from epipodophyllotoxin), and paclitaxel (Taxol). A number of promising new agents are in clinical development based on selective activity against cancer-related molecular targets, including flavopiridol and combretastatin A4 phosphate. Herbal medicines are the most preferred method of CAM. Hence, this chapter throws light on herbal medicines that are commonly employed in current research against several cancer types in experimental as well as clinical trials. Moreover, this chapter focuses on the impact and interactions of the phytochemicals present in these medicinal plants on cancer signaling pathways, angiogenesis, etc.