A Comprehensive Review on the Role of Medicinal Plants in Cancer Therapy

Because of their wide variety of bioactive chemicals and possible therapeutic benefits, medicinal plants have become important resources in cancer therapy. Over time, research into substances produced from plants has offered an alternative to conventional cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy, which can have serious side effects and little effectiveness. Research has demonstrated that a variety of medicinal plants have anticancer qualities by focusing on particular biological processes, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, DNA oxidation reduction, and suppression of cancer-promoting pathways like NFκB and PI3K/Akt. The effectiveness and safety of plant-based anticancer medicines are demonstrated by the fact that chemicals derived from plants, such as taxol, vinblastine, and camptothecin, are already utilized in clinical settings. Additionally, combining nanotechnology with medicinal plants offers novel ways to treat many diseases, such as liver, lung, breast, and colon cancer. The range of studies highlights the potential of medicinal plants to complement and improve traditional cancer treatments, offering a promising path for oncology drug development in the future.