Affiliations 

  • 1 Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Antioxidants (Basel), 2024 Jul 07;13(7).
PMID: 39061884 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13070815

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Despite significant advances in medical treatment, chemotherapy as monotherapy can lead to substantial side effects and chemoresistance. This underscores the need for therapeutic approaches that are not only pharmacologically safe but also modulate multiple potent signaling pathways and sensitize cancer cells to overcome resistance to standard drugs. In recent years, scientists have been searching for natural compounds that can be used as chemosensitizers in addition to conventional medications for the synergistic treatment of CRC. Polyphenols represent a diverse group of natural compounds that can target multiple signaling pathways in cancer cells to induce anti-cancer effects. Additionally, polyphenols have been shown to work synergistically with chemotherapeutics and other natural compounds in cancer cells. This review aims to provide a comprehensive insight into the synergistic mechanisms of selected polyphenols as chemosensitizers in CRC cells. Further research and clinical trials are warranted to fully harness the synergistic mechanisms of selected polyphenols combined with chemotherapy or natural compounds in improving cancer treatment outcomes.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.