Abstract
Natural products are important sources of biomolecules possessing antitumor activity and can be used as anticancer drug prototypes. The rich biodiversity of tropical and subtropical regions of the world provides considerable bioprospecting potential, including the potential of propolis produced by stingless bee species. Investigations of the potential of these products are extremely important, not only for providing a scientific basis for their use as adjuvants for existing drug therapies but also as a source of new and potent anticancer drugs. In this context, this article organizes the main studies describing the anticancer potential of propolis from different species of stingless bees with an emphasis on the chemical compounds, mechanisms of action, and cell death profiles. These mechanisms include apoptotic events; modulation of BAX, BAD, BCL2-L1 (BCL-2 like 1), and BCL-2; depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane; increased caspase-3 activity; poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage; and cell death induction by necroptosis via receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) activation. Additionally, the correlation between compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential is demonstrated that help in the prevention of cancer development. In summary, we highlight the important antitumor potential of propolis from stingless bees, but further preclinical and clinical trials are needed to explore the selectivity, efficacy, and safety of propolis.
Highlights
Cancer is among the main diseases affecting humanity, accounting for one in six deaths worldwide [1]
From 1946 to 2019, 321 anticancer drugs were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 168 (52.3%) of which were related to natural products: 35 were of natural origin, 65 were derived from natural products, 45 were mimics of natural products, 22 had pharmacophores obtained from natural products, and one contained plant matter as an ingredient [2]
Some of the first anticancer drugs derived from natural products approved for clinical use include vincristine and vinblastine, which are both alkaloids obtained from Catharanthus roseus (L.) G
Summary
Cancer is among the main diseases affecting humanity, accounting for one in six deaths worldwide [1]. Don; camptothecin, an alkaloid obtained from Camptotheca acuminata Decne; and paclitaxel, a diterpene originally isolated from the bark of Taxus brevifolia Nutt., all of which are of plant origin [3, 4] These drugs are still used today, and the scientific literature details both the clinical importance of their uses [5,6,7] and their mechanisms of action [8, 9]. This review highlights the importance of propolis from stingless bees as a promising natural resource for the development of new antitumor drugs and introduces new possibilities from a comparative perspective regarding the chemical substances described in propolis extracts, cell death profiles, and mechanisms of action
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