New Phenylpropanoid from Croton velutinus (Euphorbiaceae) as Potential Anticancer Natural Product Targeting MAPKs: Review with Docking Approach

Cancer encompasses a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. It is considered a major public health issue, being the second leading cause of death worldwide. A crucial signaling pathway altered in many cancers is the Mitogen- Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway, which is associated with the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival, playing a central role in the development and maintenance of malignant tumors. Natural products have made significant contributions to pharmacotherapy, particularly in the field of cancer treatment. The Euphorbiaceae family, comprising approximately 300 genera and over 5,000 species, is known for its rich diversity of bioactive compounds. <i>Croton velutinus</i> (Euphorbiaceae), a species predominantly found in Northeast Brazil, has recently garnered attention due to its novel phenylpropanoids isolated from its roots. Among these, (E)-4-(1-epoxy-7,8-propen) phenylbenzoate (CV2) has demonstrated potential cytotoxic activity against various human tumor cell lines, including B16F10, MCF-7, HL60, HCT-116, and HepG2. This review aims to highlight the antitumor activity of phenylpropanoids derived from the Euphorbiaceae family. Furthermore, through molecular docking studies, we explored the binding efficacy of CV2 with MAPKs (ERK, JNK, p38), comparing it to 25 other phenylpropanoid compounds reported in the literature, revealing promising interactions that could be further investigated for therapeutic applications.