Diarylheptanoids: Potent Anticancer Agents

Diarylheptanoids are widely distributed among species belonging to the family Betulaceae. Being highly polar in nature, they can either be isolated from plants by using sophisticated chromatographic techniques or can be synthesized in the laboratory. They are found to exhibit a wide range of activities, from very simple analgesics to anticancer agents. Recently, they have gained considerable attention due to inhibitory activity against NF-ΚB activation, NO and TNF-α production, reduction in NO and COX-2 levels in a dose-dependent manner, and suppression of Tcell activation. The current review article highlights the role of diarylheptanoids as potent anticancer agents in a variety of cancers.