Potential for cancer treatment: natural products from the Balkans

Abstract

Natural products represent a key source of novel drug leads and their essential value in anticancer research is being increasingly recognized. The presence, quantity, and structural characteristics of natural compounds within the same species could differ between regions as a result of environmental variations contributing to intraspecific chemodiversity. The Balkan Peninsula is a vital part of Europe’s biodiversity, with a considerable number of endemic species and with a broad ecosystem distribution. This region provides an unlimited supply of unique, structurally diverse compounds and offers vast potential for discovering and developing therapeutics for human benefit. This chapter gives an overview of anticancer compounds derived from natural sources of the Balkans and underlines the importance for the long-term conservation of biodiversity in this part of Europe.