Eurycoma longifolia: an overview on the pharmacological properties for the treatment of common cancer

Eurycoma longifolia plant, the so called Tongkat Ali in Malaysia, is a well grown prominent tree in all Southeast Asia. It is well known among traditional medicine practitioners as a curative plant for many diseases and health conditions. The major quassinoid from the plant is eurycomanone, which exhibits many prominent effects on various cancer cell lines. Numerous studies have shown that eurycomanone inhibits cancerous cell growth and encourages cell death both in vitro and in vivo test. Even though analyses of safety and toxicity have been conducted, there is still a substantial knowledge barrier when it comes to providing a scientific foundation for the molecular mechanism as well as intervention strategy in the living people cancer cell. In a way to offer adequate baseline data for future investigations based on molecular mechanism and intervention, the present work seeks to review the researches conducted to date on this herbal plant.