Medicina Tradicional y Naturopatía Clínica

Abstracto

Prospective Role of Indian Medicinal Plants in Inhibiting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) mediated Pathological Angiogenesis

Mahapatra Arun Kumar, Nisha Kumari Ojha and Abhimanyu Kumar

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) plays an important role in physiological as well as pathological angiogenesis. Physiologically, VEGF is essential for embryonic vasculogenesis,  endochondral ossification, neovascularisation following injury and collateral circulation to bypass blocked vessels. Solid neoplasms need adequate blood supply to grow in size. Thus, Neoplasm cells over-express VEGF and promote pathological angiogenesis. By virtue of various mechanisms including release of VEGF, the cancer cells grow and metastasize. VEGF also acts as survival factor for endothelial cells and tumor cells and protect them from apoptosis. Drugs which inhibit VEGF can control or slow down the disease process associated with VEGF mediated pathological angiogenesis. VEGF inhibitors
from plant sources are matter of great interest in recent times. It was evident from the present study, that Indian medicinal plant like, Tinosporacordifolia, Ocimum sanctum, Azadirachtaindica, Calotropisprocera, Withaniasomnifera, Curcuma longa, Commiphoramukul, Piper longum, Andrographispaniculata,  Peganumharmala, Vernoniacinerea, Boswelliaserrata described in ancient texts of Ayurvedainhibits VEGF mediated pathological angiogenesis. Anti-VEGF agent from natural sources may complement the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy without much toxicity.