Studies on Herbal Compounds With Broad-Spectrum Anti-Cancer Activity through Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species

Abstract

together with invasion of the surrounding tissue and the spread of malignant cells (Karin M et al., 2005) by the ability to implant into distant sites through metastasis. In a living organism, the multiplication of cells is regulated. Within a young animal, the cell multiplication actually exceeds cell death, as a result animal increases in size. Very occasionally, the complicated mechanisms that regulate cell multiplication fail and a cell begins to grow and divide although the body has no need for further cells of its type. The indefinite clonal expansion of the cell ultimately gives rise to a tumor. Tumor in medical language simply means swelling or lump, neoplastic, inflammatory or other. In common language, however, it is synonymous with 'neoplasm', either benign or malignant. The benign tumor does not spread to its surrounding tissues. On the other hand malignant tumor possesses a specific characteristic feature known as metastasis which means spread of tumor cells from their site of origin and establishment of areas of secondary growth (Fig 1). The term ‘cancer’ refers to specifically malignant forms of tumor