Title:Advanced Cancer Drug Development through Reverse Pharmacology: Integrating Traditional Knowledge and Herbal Therapies
Volume: 23
Author(s): Abhishek Anand, Dharmendra Kumar, Sandip Chatterjee*Arvind Kumar Patel
Affiliation:
- Narayan Institute of Pharmacy, Gopal Narayan Singh University, Sasaram, Bihar, India
- Department of Pharmacognosy, SRM Modinagar College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Delhi NCR campus, Modinagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201204, India
Keywords:
Bioactive compounds, cancer therapy, epigenetic, oncology, phytochemicals, reverse pharmacology.
Abstract:
The global rise in cancer incidence, together with limitations of conventional
therapies, including drug resistance, adverse effects, and high costs, underscores the need
for innovative and multi-target treatment strategies. Reverse Pharmacology (RP) offers a
translational framework that integrates traditional medical knowledge, particularly from
Ayurveda, into modern oncology. Unlike conventional drug discovery, RP begins with
clinically documented traditional remedies and progresses through experimental validation,
mechanistic elucidation, and formulation standardization. This strategy may be advantageous
for complex diseases like cancer, which often require multimodal therapeutic
interventions. Medicinal plants such as Curcuma longa, Withania somnifera, and Tinospora
cordifolia show notable anticancer potential by modulating key molecular targets,
including NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, STAT3, and p53. Their key phytoconstituents, such as curcumin,
withaferin A, and berberine, exhibit anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, antiangiogenic,
and anti-metastatic properties in diverse cancer models. Additionally, these
botanicals are generally considered safe, supported by centuries of traditional use and increasing
preclinical validation. RP may facilitate the development of plant-based therapeutics
and promote evidence-based, patient-centric approaches in cancer care. This review
highlights how RP bridges ethnomedical knowledge and scientific research, thereby
encouraging the integration of bioactive plant compounds into modern oncological practice
to deliver cost-effective, accessible, and personalized treatment solutions.
