Anticancer Potential of Andrographolide and its Analogs in Colorectal Cancer: An Update

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly prevalent and leading cause of death globally. Though well-developed treatment strategies are available, colorectal cancer is still a challenging health problem in developed and developing countries. Despite advanced treatment methods, all may not exterminate the tumor since most cases of CRCs are diagnosed at the last stage, and treatment-associated drug toxicity and resistance are major concerns. Therefore, it is imperative to discover anticancer drugs with less toxicity and no drug resistance. During the process of new drug discovery, medicinal plants and their derivatives play a significant role. This chapter/review explores andrographolides and their derivatives as potential anticancer drug candidates to combat colorectal cancer. This chapter describes the molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer, potential drug targets in cancer, the anticancer potential of andrographolide derivatives in various malignancies, and its specific function in preventing CRC. This review provides concise information and possible clues for researchers to develop andrographolides, their derivatives and anticancer drugs to treat colorectal cancer.

Keywords: Anticancer agents, Andrographolide, Colorectal cancer, Potential targets.