Abstract
Terpenoids occur in all major groups of organisms from fungi to humans as secondary metabolites. Terpenoiods have been revealed to possess anti-tumor promoting activities among various biological activities. In this short review, we discuss the antitumor-promoting activities of mono-, sesqui-, di-, and triterpenes, and sterols, resulting from our own and other research groups' investigation. Terpenoids are minor but ubiquitous components of our diet, and are considered to be relatively non-toxic to humans. These compounds, therefore, constitute possible candidates for cancer chemopreventive agents.
