Swapnaja Gulawani, ., Swaroop Kumar Pandey and Pratibha Srivastava*
Cancer is uncontrolled mitosis where reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as one of the mito- gens. Although elevated ROS concentrations are one of the key points in the development and spread of cancer, exceeding the threshold limit becomes lethal to cancer cells. Due to an independent anti-oxidant system and metabolic reprogramming, cancer cells can withstand high ROS concentrations (e.g., the Warburg effect). The ability of cancer cells to control ROS levels is an intricate strength and a crucial factor for effective cancer treatment. Multiple cancer therapies, like radiotherapy and chemotherapy, rely on ROS accretion to induce cancer cell death but they simultaneously they damage normal cells. These therapies intended to block this adaptation should be expected to kill cancer cells. Alteration in the nature of cancer cells by ROS-generating molecules and making them more selective for apoptosis can be the practical mode of treatment for malignancies. Due to their ROS-enhancing properties and anticipated changes in multiple signaling pathways, a number of natural product compounds and repurposed medicines have recently been investigated for the management of cancer. In this review, we describe the specific role of ROS in tumorigenesis and clinically tested repurposed ROS-generating drugs and their metabolism for cancer therapy.
Published Date: 2024-01-31; Received Date: 2024-01-02
