Medicinal Plants in Breast Cancer Therapy: Ethnopharmacology, Bioactive Compounds, and Drug Discovery

Medicinal plants have long been utilized across various cultures as a therapeutic approach to combat a multitude of cancer types, including breast cancer (BC), which ranks as the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide. This situation poses a significant global health challenge. Recent investigations have highlighted that a diverse array of bioactive compounds extracted from medicinal plants plays a critical role in preventing and treating BC by targeting cancer cell proliferation and survival mechanisms. Notably, these bioactive constituents exhibit anticancer activity against both conventional cancer cells and those resistant to standard therapies. Furthermore, the efficacy of these compounds has been substantiated through extensive research involving in vivo animal models and clinical trials, which affirm their potential therapeutic benefits. In addition to exploring the bioactivity of these natural agents, recent advancements in nanotechnology have emerged as a promising strategy to enhance the bioavailability of less soluble anticancer drugs, thereby improving their therapeutic effectiveness. This review aims to consolidate recent findings regarding the medicinal plants and their bioactive constituents in BC treatment, elaborating on their mechanisms of action, potential applications, and future directions in research and clinical practice.