Anti-Proliferative Effect of Terpenes on Human Prostate Cancer Cells: Natural Sources and Their Potential Role as Chemopreventive Agents

The 2017 document reviews the potential of terpenes and related compounds as chemopreventive agents against human prostate cancer. It highlights the anti-proliferative effects of these compounds, including lycopene, crocin, celastrol, perillyl alcohol, neoxanthin, fucoxanthin, oridonin, and ursolic acid, which have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth, induce apoptosis, and affect various signaling pathways. A meta-analysis involving 15,891 cases and 592,479 participants indicated that dietary alpha-carotene intake is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. The document suggests that while no single terpenoid compound has emerged as a definitive preventive agent, they show promise as adjuncts to current therapies and could be beneficial as nutraceuticals and functional foods for chemoprevention. Further in vivo studies are encouraged to validate these findings. The document also notes the absence of potential conflicts of interest and acknowledges financial support from an internal investigation project.