Natural Products and Anti-Cancer Mechanisms

Natural products derived from plants, microorganisms and marine organisms continue to be a cornerstone of anti-cancer drug discovery. These compounds encompass diverse chemical classes—alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids and peptides—that exert cytotoxic and cytostatic effects through multiple mechanisms. Key modes of action include induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis), modulation of cell cycle checkpoints, inhibition of prosurvival signalling pathways (notably PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB and STAT3), suppression of angiogenesis, and reversal of multidrug resistance. Advances in high-throughput screening, metabolomic profiling and synthetic biology have accelerated the identification and optimisation of lead structures. Moreover, elucidation of molecular targets through omics approaches and structure–activity relationships has improved selectivity and reduced off-target toxicity. The global significance of this field is underscored by the continual burden of cancer and the urgent need for novel agents that combine efficacy with favourable safety profiles. Natural scaffolds not only serve as direct therapeutic candidates but also inspire synthetic derivatives and combination strategies to enhance clinical outcomes.

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Natural Products and Anti-Cancer Mechanisms publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in natural products and anti-cancer mechanisms across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Apoptosis: Programmed cell death mediated by a cascade of caspase enzymes, leading to DNA fragmentation and membrane blebbing.

PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway: A central intracellular signalling network that governs cell growth, proliferation and survival; often hyperactivated in cancer.

STAT3: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, a transcription factor that drives expression of genes promoting tumour growth and immune evasion.

Sesquiterpene lactone: A class of terpenoid natural products characterised by a 15-carbon skeleton and a lactone ring, many of which exhibit anti-tumour activity.

Xenograft model: An in vivo experimental system in which human tumour cells are implanted into immunodeficient animals to evaluate therapeutic efficacy and toxicity.

Caspases: A family of cysteine proteases that orchestrate the cleavage of cellular substrates during apoptosis.

References

1. Anti-cancer Activity of Centipeda minima Extract in Triple Negative Breast Cancer via Inhibition of AKT, NF-κB, and STAT3 Signaling Pathways. Frontiers in Oncology (2020).
2. Brevilin A Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2019).
3. Arnicolide D, from the herb Centipeda minima, Is a Therapeutic Candidate against Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Molecules (2019).