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Abstract

A selected number of potential anticancer agents in phytochemicals isolated from some indigenous food and medicinal plants of the West African sub-region, has been reviewed. The attempt has benefited from a store of knowledge on the characterized and identified phytochemicals from indigenous plants by organic chemists, in the past six or so decades. Such compounds as satisfied the structure-activity-relationships with known anticancer active agents were selected and profiled and cover phytochemical classes as: alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and ‘miscellaneous’, the latter class comprising compounds considered chemically inappropriate for the previous classes. Anticancer activities covered include: induction of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes, selective cytotoxicity to tumor cells, reversal of multidrug resistance in cancer cells, and inhibition of metastasis. Food and medicinal uses of the source plants have also been described.

Keywords: Anticancer; phytochemicals; West Africa; Alkaloids; Flavonoids; Terpenoids