Therapeutics of Bioactive Compounds from Medicinal Plants and Honeybee Products against Cancer

Abstract

Every year, more than 12 million people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. Cancer diagnosis is difficult for anybody to bear, and dealing with treatment is sometimes more complicated than the disease itself. When it comes to cancer treatment choices, chemotherapy is the most well-known since it is frequently used and recommended by specialists all over the world. On the other hand, chemotherapy is recognized for destroying healthy cells, and this destruction led to several negative impacts on the body. Recent advancements in biology have allowed scientists to better study the possible use of other methods, including phytotherapy and apitherapy for treating or managing many malignant conditions. Phytotherapy and apitherapy are among the best alternatives to chemotherapy as plants and honeybee products are chief sources of phytochemicals with anticancer properties. For example, hesperidin, melittin, apamin, artepillin, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), Major Royal Jelly Proteins (MRJP), jelleins, royalisin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester are important plant and bee engineered product constituents which by inducing apoptosis and arresting cell cycle control the proliferation of cancer cells. In general, this review highlights problems related to cancer treatment using chemicals. It discusses phytotherapy and apitherapy as an alternative to chemotherapy, while plants and bee products rich in natural anticancer compounds have greater potency to treat cancer.