Screening of Anticancerous Properties of Phytochemical Extracts

Cancer is the uncontrolled, tumorous growth of the cells which interfere with the functioning of the normal cells. Chemotherapy and radiation are the traditional treatments for cancer. They are involved in the destruction of the cancerous cells but even destroys the normal cells to some extent causing side effects. This led to the use of phytotherapy as alternate treatment for cancer. The presence of phytochemicals with anticancerous properties in certain plants made it possible to use plant extracts for cancer therapy with no side effects. Anticancer agents such as alkaloids (vinblastine and vincristine), steroids and many other compounds have been discovered in certain plants.They have antioxidant properties which protect the cells from the damage of free radicals. Free radicals can cause mutation in DNA which may develop into cancer. This book presents such work on screening of presence of anticancer agents in plants Ashoka and Coccinia indica. Extracts from these plants subjected to phytochemical analysis and screened for the ability to control the growth of the HeLa cacner cell lines.