Plants as a Source of Anticancer Agents: From Bench to Bedside

Cancer is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. Conventional anticancer therapies are associated with lack of selectivity and serious side effects. Cancer hallmarks are biological capabilities acquired by cancer cells during neoplastic transformation. Targeting multiple cancer hallmarks is a promising strategy to treat cancer. The diversity in chemical structure and the relatively low toxicity make plant-derived natural products a promising source for the development of new and more effective anticancer therapies that have the capacity to target multiple hallmarks in cancer. In this review, we discussed the anticancer activities of ten natural products extracted from plants. The majority of these products inhibit cancer by targeting multiple cancer hallmarks, and many of these chemicals have reached clinical applications. Studies discussed in this review provide a solid ground for researchers and physicians to design more effective combination anticancer therapies using plant-derived natural products.

Automated summary

Cancer, the second leading cause of death, is often treated with therapies that lack selectivity and have serious side effects. This review discusses how plant-derived natural products with diverse chemical structures and low toxicity have the potential to be more effective anticancer therapies by targeting multiple cancer hallmarks. The majority of the natural products discussed in this review inhibit cancer by targeting multiple hallmarks, and some have progressed to clinical applications. Overall, this research provides a solid foundation for designing combination anticancer therapies using plant-derived natural products.