MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE ADJUVANT TREATMENT OF LUNG CANCER: SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECTS, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Abstract

This chapter aims to analyze, in an expanded manner, the use of medicinal plants as an adjuvant strategy in the treatment of lung cancer, highlighting the available scientific evidence, the main pharmacological effects of bioactive compounds and the implications for clinical practice. This is an integrative literature review, conducted based on the selection of studies indexed in national and international databases, such as PubMed, Scopus and SciELO, prioritizing recent and relevant publications in the area of ​​integrative oncology. The results show that several medicinal plants, including Curcuma longa (turmeric), Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Camellia sinensis (green tea), have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antiproliferative properties, acting on cellular pathways related to carcinogenesis and tumor progression, decreasing the activation of the pathways: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase), Protein Kinase B and Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin. Curcumin, Inhibits pathways such as NF-κB, COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and Modulates macrophages, lymphocytes and inflammatory cytokines; 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, 6-shogaol, paradol, zingerone Reduces the activation of Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB), inhibits the Protein Kinase B (Akt) pathway, decreases the production of prostaglandins, reduces the synthesis of Nitric Oxide (NO – Nitric Oxide) and reduces the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as Tumor Necrosis Alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin 1 Beta (IL-1β) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits NF-κB, inflammatory mediators and pathways associated with chronic inflammation. Such substances can contribute to the reduction of adverse effects associated with chemotherapy, such as nausea, fatigue and systemic inflammation, promoting an improvement in patients' quality of life. However, important limitations were identified, such as the methodological heterogeneity of the studies, lack of dose standardization, scarcity of robust clinical trials and risks of drug interactions. It is concluded that the use of medicinal plants in the context of lung cancer has relevant therapeutic potential as a complementary approach, as long as it is based on scientific evidence and carried out under qualified professional supervision, with the development of more rigorous clinical research being essential for its safe incorporation into care practice.