Role of Alkaloids in Cancer Therapy: Potential and Challenges

Abstract

Alkaloids, naturally occurring compounds found in plants, fungi, and marine organisms, have garnered attention as potential anti-cancer agents due to their diverse biological activities. They exhibit anti-cancer effects through mechanisms like cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, inhibition of metastasis, and modulation of molecular pathways. Compounds such as paclitaxel, vincristine, vinblastine, and camptothecin show significant preclinical and clinical efficacy in treating cancers, including breast, ovarian, and hematological malignancies. However, clinical use is limited by challenges such as poor bioavailability, toxicity, and drug resistance. Alkaloids' limited solubility and rapid metabolism reduce their effectiveness, while side effects like neuropathy and gastrointestinal distress impact patient compliance. Drug resistance mechanisms, such as upregulation of efflux pumps and mutations in drug targets, complicate treatment. Ongoing research into nano-formulations, targeted drug delivery, and combination therapies offers strategies to overcome these issues. Personalized medicine and biomarker-based approaches further enhance treatment optimization and patient selection, suggesting alkaloids continued potential in cancer therapy.