Natural Guardians: Natural Compounds as Radioprotectors in Cancer Therapy

Stasiłowicz-Krzemień, Anna; Gościniak, Anna; Formanowicz, Dorota; Cielecka-Piontek, Judyta

doi:10.3390/ijms25136937

Open AccessReview

Natural Guardians: Natural Compounds as Radioprotectors in Cancer Therapy

by

Anna Stasiłowicz-Krzemień

¹

,

Anna Gościniak

¹

,

Dorota Formanowicz

²

and

Judyta Cielecka-Piontek

^1,*

¹

Department of Pharmacognosy and Biomaterials, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, Poland

²

Department of Medical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806 Poznan, Poland

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 6937; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25136937

Submission received: 30 May 2024 / Revised: 17 June 2024 / Accepted: 21 June 2024 / Published: 25 June 2024

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Antiproliferative Activities of Natural Products—2nd Edition)

Download

Browse Figures

Versions Notes

Abstract

Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with millions of deaths attributed to it annually. Radiotherapy, a cornerstone in cancer treatment, aims to destroy cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissues. However, the harmful effects of irradiation on normal cells present a formidable obstacle. To mitigate these effects, researchers have explored using radioprotectors and mitigators, including natural compounds derived from secondary plant metabolites. This review outlines the diverse classes of natural compounds, elucidating their roles as protectants of healthy cells. Furthermore, the review highlights the potential of these compounds as radioprotective agents capable of enhancing the body’s resilience to radiation therapy. By integrating natural radioprotectors into cancer treatment regimens, clinicians may improve therapeutic outcomes while minimizing the adverse effects on healthy tissues. Ongoing research in this area holds promise for developing complementary strategies to optimize radiotherapy efficacy and enhance patient quality of life.

Keywords: plant materials; cancer; photoprotection; radiotherapy

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Stasiłowicz-Krzemień, A.; Gościniak, A.; Formanowicz, D.; Cielecka-Piontek, J. Natural Guardians: Natural Compounds as Radioprotectors in Cancer Therapy. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 6937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25136937

AMA Style

Stasiłowicz-Krzemień A, Gościniak A, Formanowicz D, Cielecka-Piontek J. Natural Guardians: Natural Compounds as Radioprotectors in Cancer Therapy. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024; 25(13):6937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25136937

Chicago/Turabian Style

Stasiłowicz-Krzemień, Anna, Anna Gościniak, Dorota Formanowicz, and Judyta Cielecka-Piontek. 2024. "Natural Guardians: Natural Compounds as Radioprotectors in Cancer Therapy" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 25, no. 13: 6937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25136937

APA Style

Stasiłowicz-Krzemień, A., Gościniak, A., Formanowicz, D., & Cielecka-Piontek, J. (2024). Natural Guardians: Natural Compounds as Radioprotectors in Cancer Therapy. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(13), 6937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25136937

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Menu

Natural Guardians: Natural Compounds as Radioprotectors in Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Share and Cite

Article Metrics

Article Access Statistics

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI