Anti-cancer activities of eugenol and potential immunomodulatory effects: a comprehensive review

Diseases such as cancer and inflammatory conditions are on the rise in patients despite advances in early detection methods. Conventional therapeutic techniques such as chemotherapy and common synthetic drugs are facing problems such as serious side effects and drug resistance development which hinders the overall treatment. Traditional medicine involving the use of herbal based products is able to combat against these issues. Eugenol, the major bioactive constituent found in clove has been shown to possess various pharmacological properties that can be used to treat various diseases. This review aims to evaluate the current findings on the therapeutic properties of eugenol against cancer and immune-related conditions. The research has shown that eugenol exerts anti-cancer activities against various cancer cell lines such as colon, breast, lung, skin and cervical cancer, by targeting molecular pathways and genes, such as proto-oncogenic signaling pathways and pro-apoptotic gene expressions, that trigger apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation and migration. Eugenol has also been shown to affect the immune system by targeting specific immune cells such as T cells and dendritic cells, and pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-alpha, IL-6 and PGE2, that leads to an immunosuppressive effect and reduced inflammation, preventing cellular damage which can lead to oncogenesis. The findings support the idea of using eugenol as a therapeutic drug against cancer and inflammation. Further studies focusing on its mechanisms of action and toxicity must be conducted to pave the way to clinical trials to provide more efficient and safer treatment options to cancer and immune related conditions.