NATURAL PRODUCTS AS SOURCES OF ANTICANCER AGENTS: MOLECULAR TARGETS AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65327/bp.v12i1.2528Keywords:
Natural products, Anticancer agents, Molecular targets, Cancer therapy, Therapeutic potentialAbstract
Natural products represent an important source of structurally diverse bioactive compounds with significant potential in cancer prevention, drug discovery, and therapy. This review synthesizes current evidence on natural products with anticancer activity, focusing on their biological sources, molecular targets, mechanisms of action, therapeutic potential, and challenges related to clinical translation. Relevant scholarly literature was identified from peer-reviewed sources and organized thematically according to natural-product sources, molecular pathways, anticancer mechanisms, therapeutic applications, translational barriers, and emerging research trends. The findings indicate that medicinal plants are the most extensively investigated sources, while marine organisms, microalgae, microorganisms, and other biological materials also contribute promising anticancer compounds. Major classes include polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, quinones, and sesquiterpenes. These compounds influence important cancer-related pathways such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, p53, apoptosis-related proteins, angiogenic regulators, and telomerase. Their major biological effects include induction of apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, modulation of oxidative stress, inhibition of angiogenesis, and suppression of invasion and metastasis. Natural products also show potential as adjuncts to conventional cancer therapies. However, poor solubility, low bioavailability, rapid metabolism, source variability, safety concerns, and limited clinical evidence continue to restrict translation into routine treatment. Overall, natural products remain promising candidates for the development of more effective and mechanistically informed anticancer therapies.
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