Chapter 1 - Plant Family, Carvacrol, and Putative Protection in Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancer types of gastrointestinal system within the five most common causes of all cancers in the world. The etiology of GC is multifactorial, which includes dietary and nondietary factors. Also, a parallel relationship exists between Helicobacter pylori infection and GC. Additionally, it has been reported the absence of tumor suppressor genes in GC cases especially p53 gene. Although there are advances in diagnosis and treatment with effective drugs of GC, resistance to chemotherapy may be developed in patients. Therefore, it is important to take preventive and chemopreventive measures to ward of GC. Many studies on natural products have been performed to investigate the anticancer and chemopreventive effects of phytochemicals. They are classified as polyphenols, terpenoids, alkaloids, phytosterols, and organosulfur compounds. Polyphenolic compounds are generally known to exhibit antioxidant properties, while high doses of these substances have shown to play an important role in induction of apoptosis, suppression of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. Carvacrol is a monoterpenic phenol, which is found in many aromatic plants from the family Lamiaceae. Some in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that carvacrol has the bioactivity actions. It has been reported that carvacrol has also antioxidant and prooxidant properties depending on its concentration. Carvacrol at lower concentrations has the property of an antioxidant that scavenges the free radicals namely reactive oxygen species (ROS) and so protects the cells against oxidative stress. Carvacrol at higher concentrations activates the production of ROS in cells, which may result in DNA damage, apoptosis, and cell death. Therefore, plants or their chemical compounds such as carvacrol seem to be a good candidate for GC prevention or chemoprevention.