Anticancer Activity of 3,3′-Diindolylmethane and the Molecular Mechanism Involved in Various Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

Indole-3-carbinol is a natural compound present in cruciferous plants, which upon digestion, converts into 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) under acidic pH of the stomach. In recent years, various methods have been developed to improve the synthesis of DIM and its analogs because of different pharmacological activities like anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, etc. Among them, DIMs anticancer activity by modulation of protein expression in cell signaling pathways and other factors has widely studied. This review describes the antiproliferative activity of DIMs and its mode of action, which resulted in apoptosis in various cancerous cells. We have performed a literature search on DIMs anticancer activity over the last ten years (2011–2020) and reported in this review. Several fascinating DIM attributes against cancer suggest it as a potential candidate for further drug development programs. This review will guide the medicinal chemist to find the mechanistic pathways involved in the inhibition of proliferation in cancerous cells by novel DIMs. © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH