Natural compounds and anticancer effects: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Natural compounds are reemerging as intriguing reservoirs of biologically active compounds. In fact, a majority of the world's population relies on traditional medicine for health care. Historically, natural products for anticancer studies have led to important accomplishments. More than 60% of the clinical use of antitumor drugs comes from natural products, including marine organisms, plants, and bacteria while more than 3000 species of plants can be utilized to fight neoplasms. In view of emerging evidence, many studies are now directed to characterize the interactions and efficacy of natural compounds and classic chemotherapy drug combinations against several cancer types. Promising results are giving renewed hope for the use of natural compounds and chemotherapeutics as partners in tumor therapy.