Bioactive Compounds in Cancer Therapeutics
Summary
Cancer remains a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, driving the search for novel agents that can intervene in tumour initiation, progression and resistance. Bioactive compounds derived from natural sources—notably plants, fungi and marine organisms—offer a rich reservoir of structures capable of modulating key oncogenic pathways. Terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids and phytosterols exhibit diverse mechanisms, including induction of apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation, disruption of angiogenesis and suppression of metastatic dissemination. Advances in high-throughput screening, molecular docking and network pharmacology have accelerated the identification of candidates with potent cytotoxicity and minimal off-target effects. Coupled with delivery innovations such as nanoparticle conjugates and liposomal encapsulation, these agents demonstrate enhanced tumour selectivity and bioavailability. Importantly, synergy between bioactive compounds and existing chemotherapeutics has emerged as a strategy to overcome drug resistance and reduce adverse effects. The global significance of this research lies in its potential to deliver cost-effective and sustainable treatments, especially in resource-limited settings. Ongoing efforts aim to deepen understanding of structure–activity relationships, refine pharmacokinetic properties and translate promising leads into clinical trials.
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Bioactive Compounds in Cancer Therapeutics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in bioactive compounds in cancer therapeutics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Apoptosis: Programmed cell death that eliminates damaged or unwanted cells.
Angiogenesis: Formation of new blood vessels, often exploited by tumours to secure nutrients.
Phytosterols: Plant-derived sterol compounds with structural similarity to cholesterol and diverse bioactivities.
Cytotoxicity: The quality of being toxic to cells, typically measured by cell viability assays.
Anti-proliferative: Inhibiting cell growth and division.
Metastasis: Spread of cancer cells from the original tumour to distant sites.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive oxygen-containing molecules that can damage cellular components.
References
- Prediction of Cell Migration in MDA-MB 231 and MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells Treated with Albizia Lebbeck Methanolic Extract Using Multilinear Regression and Artificial Intelligence-Based Models. Pharmaceuticals (2023).
- Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Lipophilic Fraction from Liriope platyphylla Seeds Using Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vitro Experiments. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- Health Benefits and Pharmacological Properties of Stigmasterol. Antioxidants (2022).
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