New therapeutic approach for myeloid leukemia: induction of apoptosis via modulation of reactive oxygen species production by natural compounds.

The therapeutic approach to acute myeloid leukemia is based on chemotherapy, but the side effects of the drugs used and various complications, including infections and bleedings, are sometimes fatal. Recently, imatinib mesylate has shown remarkable efficacy and less toxicity as a molecularly targeted therapy in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Natural products appear to be safer than the current chemotherapeutic drugs, and we have therefore sought out new potential agents from various natural compounds with the ability to induce the apoptosis of myeloid leukemic cells.