Antiangiogenic phytochemicals and medicinal herbs

Medicinal herbs and their phytochemicals are potential novel leads for developing antiangiogenic drugs. This review aims to assess the current status of research with medicinal herbs and their phytochemicals for the development of antiangiogenic agents for cancer and other angiogenesis-related diseases including inflammation, diabetic retinopathy, endometriosis and obesity. Most studies reviewed have focused on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) signaling for endothelial response processes and have led to the identification of many potential antiangiogenic agents. Since human clinical trials with antiangiogenic modalities targeting VEGF/VEGFR-2 signaling have shown limited efficacy and occasional toxic side effects, screening strategies for herbal phytochemicals based on other signaling pathways important for cancer-endothelial and stromal crosstalks should be emphasized in the future.