Pharmacological Significance of Catharanthus roseus in Cancer Management: A Review

Introduction Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as Vinca Rosea or Madagascar periwinkle, is a significant plant species within the Apocynaceae family, known for its diverse medicinal properties and ornamental attributes, long embraced by Chinese traditional medicine practices. Methodology Electronic records of papers published in various databases like Scopus, Pubmed, and Google scholar were searched from 2011 onwards and compiled to give a comprehensive overview of the pharmacological significance of C. roseus in Cancer management. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of traditional uses and pharmacological importance of various alkaloids obtained from C. roseus against Cancer and Diabetes mellitus. Results The alkaloids derived from C. roseus exhibit a wide range of medicinal importance, including antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Specifically, Vinblastine and Vincristine, derived from C. roseus, have shown significant efficacy in the treatment of various cancers, including Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia, which along with vindesine and vinorelbine are known anti-tumor drugs derived from Chinese traditional medicine. Treatment of inflammations, skin conditions, excretions, respiratory symptoms and elevated blood sugar levels are other uses of C. roseus in Chinese traditional medicine. This paper covers strategies for enhancement of Alkaloids production from C. roseus and highlights their drug delivery systems. Discussion This paper elucidates various important alkaloids obtained from C. roseus and their biological role. Further, it highlights the signaling pathways effected by Vinca alkaloids found in C. roseus and provides in-depth insights on MiRNA activity and nuclear pathways of Cancer.