Effects of extracts and molecules derived from medicinal plants of West Africa in the prevention and treatment of gynecological cancers. A Review.

Medicinal plants are a potential source of drug discovery and development of new pharmacological compounds for cancer chemoprevention. More than 80% of the West African population uses medicinal plants. It is estimated that over 60% of approved anti-cancer agents are derived from plants. The plant raw material used in African traditional medicine and particularly in West Africa can be an important source for the research of anti-tumor drugs against gynecological cancers. These tumors have a negative impact on women's general health status and causes enormous health costs as they affect all age groups. Gynecological cancers remain thus a major concern worldwide, especially in West Africa where these cancers are the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. This review reports on the contribution of West African flora to the discovery of potential antiproliferative and/or cytotoxic phytochemical compounds against gynecological cancer cells. Scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and GoogleScholar were used to extract publications reporting West African plants and/or isolated compounds used in cell models of gynecological cancers. Thresholds of cytotoxicity and modes of action of these phytochemicals have been summarized. This research can serve as a basis for taking medicinal plants into account in the management of these gynecological cancers in resource-limited countries such as those in West Africa.