Natural essential oils as a new therapeutic tool in colorectal cancer.
Stefania Garzoli, Pedro Alarcón-Zapata, Gulnaz Seitimova, Barbara Alarcón-Zapata, Miquel Martorell, Farukh Sharopov, Patrick Valere Tsouh Fokou, Darline Dize, Lauve Rachel Tchokouaha Yamthe, Francisco Les, Guillermo Cásedas, Víctor López, Marcello Iriti, Javad Sharifi Rad, Eda Sönmez Gürer, Daniela Calina, Raffaele Pezzani, Sara Vitalini
Author Information
Stefania Garzoli: Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, University "Sapienza" of Rome, P.Le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
Pedro Alarcón-Zapata: Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepción, Concepción, VIII - Bio Bio Region, Chile.
Gulnaz Seitimova: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan. sitigulnaz@mail.ru.
Barbara Alarcón-Zapata: Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepción, Concepción, VIII - Bio Bio Region, Chile.
Miquel Martorell: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Centre for Healthy Living, University of Concepción, 4070386, Concepción, Chile.
Farukh Sharopov: Research Institution "Chinese-Tajik Innovation Center for Natural Products", National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan, Ayni 299/2, Dushanbe, 734063, Tajikistan.
Patrick Valere Tsouh Fokou: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Bamenda, Bambili, 39, Cameroon.
Darline Dize: Antimicrobial and Biocontrol Agents Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Ngoa Ekelle, Yaounde, 812, Cameroon.
Lauve Rachel Tchokouaha Yamthe: Institute for Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Yaoundé, 13033, Cameroon.
Francisco Les: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, 50830, Villanueva de Gállego (Saragossa), Spain.
Guillermo Cásedas: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, 50830, Villanueva de Gállego (Saragossa), Spain.
Víctor López: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, 50830, Villanueva de Gállego (Saragossa), Spain.
Marcello Iriti: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Pascal 36, 20133, Milan, Italy.
Javad Sharifi Rad: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador. javad.sharifirad@gmail.com.
Eda Sönmez Gürer: Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
Daniela Calina: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania. calinadaniela@gmail.com.
Raffaele Pezzani: Phytotherapy Lab (PhT-Lab), Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Via Ospedale 105, 35128, Padua, Italy.
Sara Vitalini: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most revalent type of cancer in the world and the second most common cause of cancer death (about 1 million per year). Historically, natural compounds and their structural analogues have contributed to the development of new drugs useful in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Essential oils are natural odorous products made up of a complex mixture of low molecular weight compounds with recognized biological and pharmacological properties investigated also for the prevention and treatment of cancer. The aim of this paper is to highlight the possible role of essential oils in CRC, their composition and the preclinical studies involving them. It has been reviewed the preclinical pharmacological studies to determine the experimental models used and the anticancer potential mechanisms of action of natural essential oils in CRC. Searches were performed in the following databases PubMed/Medline, Web of science, TRIP database, Scopus, Google Scholar using appropriate MeSH terms. The results of analyzed studies showed that EOs exhibited a wide range of bioactive effects like cytotoxicity, antiproliferative, and antimetastatic effects on cancer cells through various mechanisms of action. This updated review provides a better quality of scientific evidence for the efficacy of EOs as chemotherapeutic/chemopreventive agents in CRC. Future translational clinical studies are needed to establish the effective dose in humans as well as the most suitable route of administration for maximum bioavailability and efficacy. Given the positive anticancer results obtained from preclinical pharmacological studies, EOs can be considered efficient complementary therapies in chemotherapy in CRC.
