Exploring the anticancer potential of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid- phaeanthine and its targeted delivery through a nanocarrier system

Abstract

Cancer, ranked as the second leading cause of global mortality, demands significant attention for the development of more effective therapeutic drugs, emphasizing the limitations of current medications. Many of the conventional treatments are associated with numerous side effects like hypertension, reduction in WBCs, and many other physiological changes. There is a growing demand for drugs derived from natural pharmacophores due to their widespread availability, diverse structural variations, and minimal side effects.1 A substantial body of evidence indicates that between 1981 and 2019, a total of 247 anticancer drugs were developed, with a majority originating from natural sources—either in their unaltered state, synthetic form or designed to mimic natural pharmacophores. Only 12% of these drugs are entirely synthetic. Given the indeterminate nature of cancer etiology, the importance of drugs capable of targeting multiple pathways cannot be overstated. Within the realm of natural compounds from plants, alkaloids, particularly bisbenzylisoquinoline (BBIQ) alkaloids, play a crucial role. BBIQ alkaloids, such as berberine, tetrandrine, chelidonine, and berbamine, exhibit remarkable effectiveness against a wide spectrum of cancers by modulating various signaling pathways. Several BBIQ alkaloids, including those mentioned, are currently undergoing clinical trials for cancer treatment. Therefore, exploring the potential of these types of alkaloids in cancer therapy is imperative in the face of the escalating incidence of cancer cases in our contemporary era.