Traditional African Medicinal Plants as Potential Sources of Anticancer Agents: Bioactive Compounds, Mechanisms, and Future Directions

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, necessitating the continuous search for novel and effective therapeutic agents.Traditional African medicinal plants, long utilized in indigenous healthcare systems, represent a rich reservoir of bioactive compounds with promising anticancer properties.This review comprehensively explores the anticancer potential of selected African medicinal plants, highlighting their phytochemical constituents, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic relevance.Specific emphasis is placed on compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolics that exhibit cytotoxicity, apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of metastasis.The article also examines current limitations in research, including standardization, clinical validation, and bioprospecting challenges.By integrating traditional knowledge with modern pharmacological approaches, these medicinal plants may serve as viable leads for anticancer drug development.Further scientific investigation and clinical validation are imperative to translate these ethnobotanical insights into effective anticancer therapies.