Main bioactive compounds against cancer and their mechanisms of action

Human health is a privilege that is extremely difficult to maintain because of the epigenetic conditions that cause the development of diseases of different natures, including immunological, respiratory, hepatic, renal, digestive, and glandular diseases, among others. Cancer is a pathology characterized by the rapid multiplication of abnormal cells and is the leading cause of death worldwide. For this reason, science makes great efforts to find treatments that help eradicate or control the disease in order to maintain or prolong the life of the patient. For this, medications and therapies of chemical origin, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have been developed, whose purpose is to eliminate cancer cells. However, during this process, the quality of life can be degraded, in addition to multiple ailments suffered by patients, so it is necessary to find alternatives of natural origin that can contribute to the elimination of cancer cells, minimizing adverse side effects. Among these alternatives are bioactive molecules produced primarily by plants. In this regard, this manuscript reviews in vitro studies of the cellular mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds and their sources, including functional foods, investigating the molecular origin of these substances at the genomic level and finally offering future perspectives and the potential challenges to overcome in establishing their possible application as adjuvants in cancer treatments.