Mini Review on Some African Plants with Anti-Cancer Properties

Every year, cancer takes the life of millions of people. Indeed, medicinal plants have long been investigated by scientists for their anti-cancer properties. Herbal plants have recently attracted worldwide attention of researchers for their possible use in the management of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and respiratory diseases. Most of the conventional cancer treatment options have produced unsatisfactory results for some types of cancers, and in most instances, the side effects are severe, leading to a shift in the focus of treatment towards alternative medicines. Plant-derived compounds have been a vital source of most of the known clinically useful anti-cancer agents. These include vinblastine, vincristine, the camptothecin derivatives, topotecan and irinotecan, etoposide, derived from epipodophyllotoxin, and paclitaxel (taxol®), taxanes, homoharringtonine and elliptinium. Many promising new agents are in clinical development based on selective activity against cancer-related molecular targets. African plants have a vital role in cancer chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy. With advanced knowledge of molecular science and refinement in isolation and structure elucidation techniques, various African plants with anticancer properties have been identified,and some of which exert their therapeutic effects by inhibiting cancer-activating enzymes and hormones, stimulating DNA repair mechanism, promoting production of protective enzymes, inducing antioxidant action or enhancing natural immunity of the individual. This review attempts to examine scientific information in the available literature on some specific African plants with anti-cancer properties.