Therapeutic potential of anti-cancer compounds from African medicinal plants: From in vitro studies to clinical applications

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally, driving the search for effective and accessible therapeutic agents.African medicinal plants are emerging as a promising source of anticancer compounds due to their long-recognized therapeutic properties.This review evaluates studies published between 2000 and 2024, focusing on the anticancer activity of plant-derived compounds.We searched through PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and African Journals Online.We identified 15 relevant studies investigating the cytotoxic effects of plant extracts from species such as Aframomum arundinaceum, Annona muricata, Polyscias fulva, Xylopia aethiopica, among other species.Bioactive compounds were identified as flavonoids (kaempferol), alkaloids, terpenoids, and acetogenins (annonacin).These compounds showed cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines, including breast, pancreatic, and lung cancers.Commonly observed mechanisms of action included apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and oxidative stress modulation.For instance, annonacin from Annona muricata induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells, while kaempferol from Aframomum arundinaceum caused G1 phase arrest in breast cancer cells.Polysciasoside A from Polyscias fulva showed selective cytotoxicity against lung cancer cells.Despite these promising findings, most studies were limited to in vitro assays, with few advancing to in vivo models.Although the bioactive compounds demonstrate great potential, gaps in preclinical validation, safety profiling, and pharmacokinetic studies hinder their clinical translation.Future research should prioritize in vivo studies, toxicity assessments, and drug delivery systems to improve bioavailability and clinical potential, enabling the development of novel anticancer therapies from African plants.