Arachidonic acid (AA) pathway, a metabolic process, plays a key role in
carcinogenesis. Hence, AA pathway metabolic
enzymes phospholipase A2s (PLA2s),
cyclooxygenases (COXs) and
lipoxygenases (LOXs) and their metabolic products, such as
prostaglandins and
leukotrienes, have been considered novel preventive and therapeutic targets in
cancer. Bioactive natural products are a good source for development of novel
cancer preventive and therapeutic drugs, which have been widely used in clinical practice due to their safety profiles. AA pathway inhibitory natural products have been developed as chemopreventive and therapeutic agents against several
cancers.
Curcumin,
resveratrol,
apigenin, anthocyans,
berberine,
ellagic acid,
eugenol,
fisetin,
ursolic acid, [6]-
gingerol, guggulsteone,
lycopene and
genistein are well known
cancer chemopreventive agents which act by targeting multiple pathways, including COX-2.
Nordihydroguaiaretic acid and
baicalein can be chemopreventive molecules against various
cancers by inhibiting LOXs. Several PLA2s inhibitory natural products have been identified with chemopreventive and therapeutic potentials against various
cancers. In this review, we critically discuss the possible utility of natural products as preventive and therapeutic agents against various oncologic diseases, including prostate, pancreatic, lung, skin, gastric, oral, blood, head and neck, colorectal, liver, cervical and breast
cancers, by targeting AA pathway. Further, the current status of clinical studies evaluating AA pathway inhibitory natural products in
cancer is reviewed. In addition, various emerging issues, including bioavailability, toxicity and explorability of combination
therapy, for the development of AA pathway inhibitory natural products as chemopreventive and therapeutic agents against human
malignancy are also discussed.