Open Access

REVIEW

Clinically proven natural products against breast cancer, with mechanistic insights

MD. MAHMUDUL HASAN^1,2, SHAH MD. WASIN^2,3, MISHU RAHMAN^2,4, EVA AZME^1,2, MD. SAQLINE MOSTAQ⁵, MD. MAHEDI HASAN NAHID⁶, NOR MOHAMMAD⁷, FARJANA AFRIN TANJUM⁸, MD. ANAMUL HAQUE⁵, MD ASHIQ MAHMUD^5,*, MOHAMMAD NURUL AMIN^5,*

1 Department of Pharmacy, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, 4331, Bangladesh
2 Department of Natural Products and Pharmacology, Pratyasha Health Biomedical Research Center, Dhaka, 1230, Bangladesh
3 Department of Pharmacy, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, 1902, Bangladesh
4 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, 1902, Bangladesh
5 School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA 71201, USA
6 Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh
7 Department of Chemistry, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, 4331, Bangladesh
8 Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Chattogram Maa-o-Shishu Hospital Medical College, Agrabad, Chattogram, 4100, Bangladesh

* Corresponding Authors: MD ASHIQ MAHMUD. Email: ; MOHAMMAD NURUL AMIN. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Breast Cancer Biomarkers and Drug Targets Discoveries Towards a More Personalized Treatment Setting)

Oncology Research 2025, 33(7), 1611-1632. https://doi.org/10.32604/or.2025.062778

Received 27 December 2024; Accepted 14 April 2025; Issue published 26 June 2025

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer still stands to be the foremost contributor to cancer-related incidence and mortality in women globally accounting for about 14% of all female cancer-related deaths worldwide. This research seeks to illustrate the mechanisms and clinical findings of natural products against breast cancer treatment. Methodology: Required data for this review article was retrieved employing several readily obtainable search databases, including Web of Science^® (Thomson Reuters, USA), PubMed^® (U.S. National Library of Medicine, USA), and SciVerse Scopus^® (Elsevier Properties S.A., USA), taking into consideration certain search terms like “breast cancer,” “natural products against breast cancer,” and “Clinically proven natural products in the treatment of breast cancer” and so on. Results: Several natural products, namely Omega-3 fatty acids, dietary isothiocyanates, curcumin, green tea, flaxseed, limonene, and others, were found to modulate crucial pathways in breast cancer cells. These substances suppressed angiogenesis by downregulating the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), promoted apoptosis by activating caspase enzymes, and prevented cell proliferation by controlling cyclin-dependent kinases. Clinical studies demonstrated improved outcomes in patients receiving these natural products with standard treatment procedures. Discussion: The findings underscore the multifaceted functions of natural products in breast cancer therapy, highlighting their potential to increase the efficacy of conventional treatments while reducing adverse effects. Further exploration of synergistic actions and optimal dosages is needed. Conclusion: Clinically proven natural products represent a potential avenue for breast cancer treatment with their mechanistic insights that facilitate their incorporation into treatment regimens. To maximize clinical applications, future inquiries should center on elucidating the full spectrum of these anticancer functions.

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