Apoptosis – Programmed Cell Death and Plant Metabolites

Abstract

Apoptosis is a fundamental process in the development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. The process is a genetically controlled normal form of cell death characterized by specific morphological, biochemical and molecular events. Two mechanisms of apoptosis are described: intracellular or mitochondrial pathway and extracellular or death receptor pathway. Deregulation of apoptosis can result in diseases like cancer, autoimmune disease (AIDS), neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s disease). Modulation of apoptosis signaling pathways by naturally occurring compounds of plant origin is a novel promising approach in innovative therapeutics.