Mechanistic studies on combination of phytochemicals and synthetic drugs as anti-cancer agents

Environmental, endogenous DNA damaging agents and genetic factors cause aberrant changes in the normally functioning genes leading to tumor. The treatment strategies of cancer are varied and mostly they are administered in combination. The application of complementary and alternative medicine, which includes phytochemicals and herbal extracts, leads to chances of herb-drug interactions. The interaction could be adverse or advantageous and it is due to a number of factors which are not fully understood. Changes in cell signaling pathways, pharmacokinetic interactions, reversal of multidrug resistance, and increase in immunity are a few mechanisms where the phytochemicals can act in synergy with anti-cancer drugs.