Indole compounds against breast cancer: recent developments.

Breast cancer is still the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide and new therapies and drugs are continuously being conceived and explored to better control or even cure this disease. Among the most efficacious low-molecular drugs for the treatment of breast cancer are indole derivatives such as 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), the structurally complex antimitotic vinca alkaloids, and the synthetic receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib. This review is to give an insight into the latest developments in the field of indole based drugs against breast cancers with a focus on those derived from natural products and on their targets and modes of action. Pertinent literature is covered from 2007 up to 2012.