Abstract

Dr. Kazi Julekha, Paramita Ganguly*, Sanchari Talukdar and Sandip Chatterjee

ABSTRACT

Chemotherapeutic drugs are employed to manage late-stage cancer or after surgery. Nonetheless, cancer cells can become resistant to these drugs, causing treatment failure and disease reappearance. Polyphenols, a diverse group of over 10,000 organic compounds, share a common three-membered flavone ring system. This discussion focuses on the role of specific polyphenols, primarily curcumin, resveratrol, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), in addressing different facets of cancer drug resistance. Polyphenols contribute to enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents through several mechanisms. They facilitate increased uptake of drugs by tumour cells, curbing drug metabolism catalysed by enzymes like cytochromes and Glutathione-S-transferases, and curtailing drug efflux. Consequently, these actions heighten the vulnerability of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic interventions. Furthermore, polyphenols exert influence on other vital targets that can counteract chemo resistance in cancer cells. These encompass programmed cell death processes such as autophagy and apoptosis, modulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), management of reactive oxygen species (ROS), facilitation of DNA repair mechanisms, regulation of cancer stem cells, and epigenetic modifications such as microRNAs (miRNAs). In summary, this abstract sheds light on the potential of polyphenols, including curcumin, resvetrol, and EGCG to combat the multi-faceted issue of chemo resistance in cancer treatment. By targeting diverse pathways that contribute to drug resistance, polyphenols offer a promising avenue for improving the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of cancer treatment strategies.