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Potential of Indonesian Herbal as an Anti-Cancer Therapy: A Systemic Review of in vitro Studies

Summary

This review examined eight Indonesian herbal plants that show promise in laboratory studies for fighting various types of cancer. Soursop leaves were the most researched and consistently showed the ability to kill or slow cancer cells in test tubes by triggering natural cell death pathways. The herbs work through bioactive compounds like flavonoids and alkaloids that can interfere with how cancer cells divide and survive. While these results are encouraging, more research is needed to confirm effectiveness in humans.

Background

Cancer is the second most common cause of mortality worldwide with increasing prevalence in both developing and developed countries. Conventional cancer therapies have severe side effects, prompting research into natural herbal alternatives. Indonesia utilizes approximately 6000 plant species as herbal medicines for various ailments.

Objective

To describe the potential of Indonesian herbal plant products as cancer therapy through a systematic review of in vitro studies. The review aimed to identify which Indonesian herbal plants demonstrate anti-cancer activity and their mechanisms of action.

Results

Of 1,816,511 initial articles, 23 low-risk bias articles were included. Eight Indonesian herbal plants demonstrated anti-cancer potential in vitro: Soursop (Annona muricata), Nyamplung (Calophyllum spp.), Benalu Cengkeh (Dendrophthoe pentandra), Rumput Mutiara (Hedyotis corymbosa), Rasamala (Altingia excelsa), Sarang Semut (Myrmecodia pendans), Basil (Ocimum sanctum), and Tepus (Zingiber griffithii). Soursop was the most extensively studied with 12 articles.

Conclusion

Annona muricata (Soursop) is the most widely studied Indonesian herbal plant for in vitro anti-cancer activity. The predominant anti-cancer mechanism reported is inhibition of cell proliferation through intrinsic apoptotic pathways involving BCL-2 family proteins and mitochondrial pathways.
  • Published in:Cancer Management and Research,
  • Study Type:Systematic Review,
  • Source: PMID: 37608914, DOI: 10.2147/CMAR.S414457
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