The efficacy of natural bioactive compounds against prostate cancer: Molecular targets and synergistic activities

Abstract

Globally, prostate cancer (PCa) is regarded as a challenging health issue, and the number of PCa patients continues to rise despite the availability of effective treatments in recent decades. The current therapy with chemotherapeutic drugs has been largely ineffective due to multidrug resistance and the conventional treatment has restricted drug accessibility to malignant tissues, necessitating a higher dosage resulting in increased cytotoxicity. Plant‐derived bioactive compounds have recently attracted a great deal of attention in the field of PCa treatment due to their potent effects on several molecular targets and synergistic effects with anti‐PCa drugs. This review emphasizes the molecular mechanism of phytochemicals on PCa cells, the synergistic effects of compound‐drug interactions, and stem cell targeting for PCa treatment. Some potential compounds, such as curcumin, phenethyl‐isothiocyanate, fisetin, baicalein, berberine, lutein, and many others, exert an anti‐PCa effect via inhibiting proliferation, metastasis, cell cycle progression, and normal apoptosis pathways. In addition, multiple studies have demonstrated that the isolated natural compounds: d‐limonene, paeonol, lanreotide, artesunate, and bicalutamide have potential synergistic effects. Further, a significant number of natural compounds effectively target PCa stem cells. However, further high‐quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of these phytochemicals against PCa.

Phytochemical analysis and biological investigation of Cheilanthes tenuifolia (Burm.f.) Swartz

“…Among the natural products, plants are common sources of traditional healing agents worldwide, especially in the poor and less developed countries ( Ashmawy et al, 2023 ; Mia et al, 2023 ). On the other hand, people in developed countries are now conscious of the adverse events of modern drugs, thus there is a developing enthusiasm for research into and utilization of plant-mediated products or preparations ( Abdelazim et al, 2024 ; Shill et al, 2024 ).…”

Carbon nanotubes: a novel innovation as food supplements and biosensing for food safety

“…These attributes lead to their use in various mechanical applications as well and widen their prospective use in different industrial sectors ( 3 , 4 ). Owing to their useful properties, CNTs have been used in various sectors including biomedical industry ( 5 ) for medicines delivery ( 6 ), treatment of diseases ( 7 , 8 ) and diagnosis of various ailments ( 9 – 11 ). This review focuses specifically on the food sector where CNTs are not only used as supplements but also play a major role in quality control of food products with the help of efficient nanobiosensing mechanisms ( 12 – 14 ).…”

Cytotoxicity and Multi-Enzyme Inhibition of Nepenthes miranda Stem Extract on H838 Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells and RPA32, Elastase, Tyrosinase, and Hyaluronidase Proteins

“…Accordingly, this study assesses the cytotoxic effects of Nepenthes miranda extract on the viability, migration, proliferation, DNA damage, and apoptosis of human NSCLC H838 carcinoma cells. A notable advantage of using natural extracts against cancer cells lies in their multi-targeted modes of action [ 12 ]. Furthermore, we also investigate the combined effects of N. miranda extract with the clinical anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to determine the presence of any synergistic effects in combating NSCLC.…”